Pastor In Myung-jin nominated Saenuri emergency chief

Pastor In Myung-jin nominated Saenuri emergency chief. December. 24, 2016 07:07. by Chan-Wuk Song song@donga.com. In Myeong-jin, senior pastor of Galilee Church, who has been nominated as the chairman of the ruling Saenuri Party’s emergency committee, singled out Rep. Lee Wan-young, Saenuri’s secretary for the parliamentary special investigation committee tasked with probing into manipulation of state administration by Choi Soon-sil, as the first party member who should be subjected to reform measures. Rep. Lee sparked controversy due to his remarks deemed to be supportive of chaebol owners during parliamentary hearings, and the suspicion that he may have instigated witnesses to make false testimonies.

In Myeong-jin held a press meeting at the party’s headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul on the day. When asked "what is the task that the emergency committee chair should do first after assuming the job?" In replied, “It is recalling of Rep. Lee (from the special investigation committee).”

“I also told this to floor leader Chung Woo-taek, and Rep. Lee cannot continue activities on the special investigation committee in light of ethics,” he said. “An ethics committee has not been established yet, but I think we have to refer him to the ethics committee to be held accountable for his behaviors.”

On the key members of the pro-Park (Geun-hye) faction, whom the non-mainstream faction labeled "Choi Soon-sil’s men," In urged them to decide their own future course of actions. “There may be differences in terms of degree (of responsibility), but I think the entire Saenuri Party should take responsibility (for the Choi Soon-sil gate),” the emergency chief said. “I think that lawmakers should be well aware that to what extent they themselves are accountable (according to the degree).”

In also said ousting those lawmakers from the party requires agreement by two thirds of the members at the party’s general meeting of lawmakers and approval by the party’s supreme council, which is not very feasible.

However, he expressed his objection to the defection by non-mainstream faction members and their declaration of the founding of a new reformative conservative party (tentatively named). “The party should not be split. The party should stay together (with the non-mainstream faction),” In said. “The direct cause (for their defection from the party) was reportedly that the faction lost in the floor leader election or a candidate they recommended, and this cannot be the reason for division of the party.”

The Saenuri Party’s leadership is also increasing pressure on the defecting lawmakers through measures including its decision to appoint chairmen of the party members’ committees who can become those lawmakers’ future rivals in their constituencies. “We are reviewing a plan on selection of the party members’ committee chairs in the constituencies of the lawmakers who bolted from the party,” a key member of the party’s leadership said. “We will immediately select them through the necessary process.”

“I have become the emergency committee chair because I am not a member of the pro-Park faction,” In commented on his own eligibility.

The emergency chief served as the central ethics committee chairman of the Grand National Party (the Saenuri Party’s predecessor) in 2006. He has been making critical remarks against President Park’s management of state administration since the inauguration of the Park administration. On November 2, he joined former National Assembly Speakers, senior leaders from civil society and religious leaders to make declaration of a national crisis over the Choi Soon-sil gate.

In addition, the Saenuri Party decided to establish a "reform taskforce to seek reestablishment of the party," which will prepare for the official inauguration of the emergency committee through a national convention.