LEE JUN-SEOK VISITS DAEGU

[Anchor Lead]

Amid the turmoil within the People Power Party, its ousted chairman Lee Jun-seok has visited the conservative stronghold of Daegu. He asked the city's residents to stand up against the ruling party, saying it is now in a more serious crisis than that caused by the impeachment of former President Park Geun-hye.

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Former PPP Chairman Lee Jun-seok held a press conference in Daegu, reappearing in public for the first time since deciding to file a court injunction against the PPP's emergency leadership. Mentioning former presidential secretary Cho Eung-chon's warning against rumored influence peddling by the confidant of ex-President Park Geun-hye, Lee said that she would have not been impeached if she had taken the advice. He said the ruling party, which is seeking additional disciplinary measures against him for making what it called insulting expressions, is now faced with a more dangerous situation. Lee directly targeted party members close to President Yoon and first-term lawmakers who had urged him to accept and follow the decision the party made at a general meeting last week.

[Soundbite] Lee Jun-seok(Former PPP Chair) : "When pointing to a deer Yoon's aides are saying it is a horse, why are first-term lawmakers rushing to agree with them and bully their critics?"

Lee stressed that anyone has the freedom to criticize the Yoon administration. He then asked Daegu citizens to deliver a stern judgment against the ruling party and its supporters.

[Soundbite] Lee Jun-seok(Former PPP Chair) : "Daegu citizens need to reprimand the PPP. If they cooperate with unrighteous forces in order to get nominations for parliamentary seats, Daegu citizens, not the man in power can judge them."

While denouncing the party for disregarding the court ruling, Lee insisted that its decision to revise party rules and launch a second emergency leadership committee is unconstitutional. Despite Lee's harsh criticism, the PPP held a national committee meeting and approved the decision to revise party rules and form another emergency committee on Monday. PPP Floor Leader Kweon Seong-dong said the chairman of the new emergency committee will likely be announced on Thursday or Friday.