Lee Jae-myung, former leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, revealed his camp appointments preparing for the presidential election primary on the 11th. Veteran lawmaker Yoon Ho-joong, who is less aligned with factions, will serve as the chairman of the election task force, while fellow lawmaker Kang Hoon-sik, also less factional, will take on the role of overall head. Park Soo-hyun and Han Byung-do, lawmakers from the Moon Jae-in administration, will also join as the head of public relations and the head of the situation room, respectively. The appointments reflect an emphasis on 'integration' considering criticisms of Lee Jae-myung's one-party dominance.
On that day, former leader Lee said at the National Assembly, “Our primary camp, which is the base camp for gathering energy to create a new world and a new country, begins now,” as he announced the appointees himself. He also noted that “We will unite under the one name of being a member of the party, focusing on the most important goals and visions for the Republic of Korea and its people, and we will move forward toward the future.”
This is the third time that former leader Lee has formed a primary campaign camp. He intentionally appointed individuals who are not strongly factional. The camp appointments send a clear message from the candidate, indicating that former leader Lee has emphasized an image of 'inclusive governance.' This underscores the extent of his influence across the Democratic Party's National Assembly.
Elected campaign chairman Yoon Ho-joong is considered an influential political figure from the mainstream progressive faction, known as the '86 generation' (those who entered college in the 1980s and were born in the 1960s), and is associated with former party leader Lee Han-chul. He was appointed as secretary-general by then-party leader Lee Han-chul during the 20th National Assembly and directed candidate nominations for the 21st general election. He has served as both party floor leader and chair of the policy committee.
Kang Hoon-sik, who will serve as the overall head, is a figure from the Chungcheong region associated with the faction of former leader Ahn Cheol-soo. He is classified as an expert in policy and strategy, having held positions as chairman of the party's strategy planning committee and as vice president of the Democratic Research Institute. Until last year, he was the representative of the largest group of lawmakers within the party, the 'Better Future.' The 'Better Future' issued a collective statement against former leader Lee's decision to abolish the financial investment income tax, claiming it would undermine the consistency and reliability of party policy.
Yoon Hoo-duk served as the head of the policy department in former candidate Lee's camp during the last presidential election. He has also been appointed as the head of the policy department for this camp. Former leader Lee appointed Park Soo-hyun, who served as the senior secretary for public engagement in the Moon Jae-in administration, to the position of head of public relations. He has been recognized as a leading moderate figure within the Democratic Party. Han Byung-do, who served as the senior secretary for political affairs during the Moon Jae-in administration, will take on the role of head of the situation room.
Within the pro-Lee faction, Kim Young-jin, a three-term lawmaker, has been appointed as the head of the political strategy department. He is a junior of former leader Lee from Chung-Ang University and has been a member of the core group 'Seven' (Jeong Seong-ho, Kim Young-jin, Kim Byeong-wook, Kim Nam-guk, Moon Jin-seok, Lim Jong-seong, Lee Gyu-min) supporting him since the 2017 presidential election when Lee first ran. Despite public speculation about a strained relationship when Lee opposed his candidacy in the Incheon Gyeongyang by-election, Kim maintained proximity to Lee after being appointed head of political adjustment and remained close to him until the 22nd general elections.
Lee Hae-sik's title changed from 'Chief of Staff for Lee Jae-myung, party leader' to 'Chief of Staff for Lee Jae-myung, presidential candidate.' He joined the party associated with Lee Han-chul and received a single nomination in the last general election. Incumbent lawmaker Lee So-young, serving her second term, will take responsibility for leading the debate preparations as a director general. He supported former leader Lee's position on abolishing the financial investment income tax within the 'anti-implementation team' in internal party discussions during last year's financial investment tax controversy.
A camp official said, “The appointments showcase the candidate's commitment to integration and expansion,” adding that “Contrary to external criticisms regarding pro-Lee or one-party dominance, we are eager to employ a diverse group and actively embrace opinions from both inside and outside the party.”