The People Power Party took to the streets of Seoul to rally support for its fight against the administration. Party leaders pointed to the Lee Jae-myung administration and ruling party's U.S.-Korea tariff negotiations, pressure on Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae, and North Korea policy, arguing that liberal democracy is under threat. They also appealed for support, saying that if the People Power Party is removed, President Lee Jae-myung's dictatorship will begin.
The People Power Party held the "National rally condemning judicial destruction and legislative dictatorship" near Seoul City Hall at 2 p.m. on the 28th. The People Power Party estimated that more than 150,000 party members and citizens attended the rally that day.
The People Power Party held an outdoor rally in Seoul a week after staging a demonstration in front of Dongdaegu Station on the 21st. It was the first outdoor rally in Seoul in 5 years and 8 months since the Liberty Korea Party era, when a rally was held at Gwanghwamun Square in Jan. 2020.
People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk said, "Dictatorship feeds on the public's indifference and silence. The fact that fake news is rampant is evidence that dictatorship is budding," adding, "If those elected swagger as if they can do everything under the pretext of popular sovereignty, dictatorship has already entered stage 3."
He went on, "If they have seized the judiciary and the prosecution and are gagging the press, then dictatorship has already passed stage 4 and is moving through stage 5," stressing, "Stage 6 is the annihilation of the opposition, and the final stage 7 is a constitutional amendment for prolonged rule."
Jang also said, "If the People Power Party disappears, the door to dictatorship will swing wide open. And the door to freedom will close forever," adding, "The judiciary, the legislature, the press, and diplomacy are collapsing, and even national security is crumbling. All of this is because of one person, Lee Jae-myung."
Voices also criticized the confirmation hearing for Chief Justice Cho and the revision of the Government Organization Act by the administration and ruling party. There was also criticism that as the U.S.-Korea tariff negotiations stall, the government is stoking anti-American sentiment to evade responsibility.
People Power Party floor leader Song Eon-seok said, "Can the public trust the Lee Jae-myung administration's tariff negotiations?" adding, "Now that things aren't going their way, they're changing their words and threatening the public as if a currency crisis is coming, and when that doesn't work, they are fomenting anti-American sentiment as if President Trump and the United States are persecuting us."
He continued, "Heaven and earth know that Chief Justice Cho has done nothing wrong, so why is there such a fuss to drive out an innocent Chief Justice Cho?" adding, "The prosecutor general is stipulated in the Constitution, so dismantling the prosecution by changing the law regardless of the Constitution (revising the Government Organization Act) is unconstitutional."