Lee Jung-hyun, the nomination management committee chairman of the People Power Party, announces nomination screening results and schedules at the party's headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 11th. [Yonhap News] Two days after announcing his resignation on the 15th, Lee Jung-hyun, the nomination management committee chairman of the People Power Party, has returned after receiving 'full authority' from party leader Jang Dong-hyuk, and attention is focused on whether the personnel overhaul driven by "innovative nominations" will regain momentum.

In a statement announcing his return, Chairman Lee stated, "I will not shy away from any decisions that need to be made in the nomination process," and added, "I will boldly change vested interests and practices to meet the public's expectations."

He further emphasized, "I will create competition where there is none, and open the doors of politics wider for youth and experts," vowing, "I will take responsibility for any criticism or consequences that arise in the process."

This reiterates Lee's commitment to realizing his nomination vision of "generational change" and "senior politicians stepping down," which he has emphasized on multiple occasions. The intention is to boldly utilize means such as preliminary elections and cut-offs to achieve this.

In a phone call with Yonhap News, Lee said, "My resolve is fully conveyed in the statement. I wrote it myself all night," and added, "Since I have put it in writing, I will proceed accordingly."

Previously, Lee had informed the leadership of his resignation on the morning of the 13th and then went incommunicado, turning off his mobile phone.

The background to Lee's sudden decision to resign is reportedly the strong backlash within the nomination committee against his proposal for innovative nominations in Daegu, the 'heartland of conservatism.'

Currently, a total of nine individuals have applied for the nomination as the candidate for the June 3rd local elections in Daegu.

Among them, five are incumbent lawmakers: Joo Ho-young (6 terms), Yoon Jae-ok (4 terms), Choo Kyung-ho (3 terms), Yoo Young-ha (1st term), and Choi Eun-seok (1st term). In addition, former Broadcasting and Communications Commission Chairperson Lee Jin-sook, former head of the Dalseong-gun Saemaul Undong Headquarters Audit Committee Kim Han-gu, former Dong-gu Mayor of Daegu Lee Jae-man, and former lawmaker Hong Seok-jun have also declared their candidacies.

It is known that Chairman Lee has advocated for senior lawmakers in Daegu, where conservative support is strong, to make a resolute decision to step down for new political aspirants.

The plan is to achieve generational change in this traditional stronghold by creating a competitive landscape involving new political figures such as former Broadcasting and Communications Commission Chairperson Lee Jin-sook and first-term lawmakers.

Through his Facebook posts, Chairman Lee has repeatedly expressed this stance, stating, "The decision to voluntarily open the way for new talent and a new era is the highest form of responsibility" (on the 26th of last month), and "The public wants new faces. They are demanding a change of eras" (on the 4th).

However, it is speculated that concerns were raised within the nomination committee, such as 'How will we handle the backlash from incumbent senior lawmakers?', when Lee began discussing specific measures for generational change, including the cut-off of senior lawmakers.

It is reported that Lee decided to return after meeting with party leader Jang in an undisclosed location in Gyeonggi Province the previous day and receiving a promise of full authority.

Chairman Lee attended the nomination committee meeting held at 5 p.m. at the party headquarters in Yeouido on this day.

At this meeting, the committee confirmed the single nominations for Chungnam Governor Kim Tae-heum and Daejeon Mayor Lee Jang-woo.

An additional call for Seoul mayoral candidates is scheduled for the 16th. Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon did not submit his application for nomination, raising issues regarding the party's direction.

In a briefing after the meeting, Chairman Lee said regarding the additional call for Seoul mayoral candidates, "It is very unusual that we are conducting an additional application because someone we wished to participate in the nomination competition did not," and added, "We sincerely await their participation."

He further added, "In the case of Seoul, since the incumbent mayor has declared their intention to run, we ask for your understanding that, although we apologize to the existing applicants, we must handle the Seoul case separately."

Meanwhile, although there was speculation that Chairman Lee might announce the nomination direction for the Daegu region on his first day back, given the leadership's confirmation of support for the innovative nomination plan at the meeting, no immediate announcement was made.

In this regard, Chairman Lee stated, "While many are curious about the remaining regions, including Busan, Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Daegu, I have nothing specific to say at this moment about what was discussed in the closed-door meeting."

The nomination committee will continue discussions at a meeting on the morning of the 16th. It is also suggested that the nomination direction for the Daegu region may be announced at the meeting on the 16th.

Meanwhile, the Nomination Management Committee for Public Candidates of the People Power Party's Seoul Chapter submitted a 'Pledge of Certain Victory' on this day, promising the following regarding the nomination of Seoul mayoral candidates: ▲ Nominations befitting the capital city ▲ Nominations that meet the expectations of ordinary Seoul citizens ▲ Transparent nomination management and execution.