About a month before the June 3 local elections, the two pillars of the People Power Party, leader Jang Dong-hyeok and floor leader Song Eon-seog, are pursuing separate schedules. The two denied the recent "rumors of conflict," but inside and outside the party, many interpret Song as distancing from Jang and throwing his weight behind the local election campaign as public sentiment around Jang has soured.
On the afternoon of the 4th, floor leader Song visited Hwagokbon-dong Market in Gangseo District, Seoul, to listen to public sentiment. Senior deputy floor leader for operations Yoo Sang-beom, senior floor spokesperson Park Chung-kwon, and candidates running in Gangseo District also joined. Following his Apr. 30 visit to Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market, Song again went to a livelihood site with the floor leadership, broadening contact with voters.
Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok was not seen at the visit that day. As with the Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market visit, only the floor leadership centered on floor leader Song attended. At the same time, Jang had not scheduled a separate official event. During the Noryangjin visit, Jang had an appointment to meet the Korea Federation of Micro Enterprise (KFME), but this time he did not attend and had no other public schedule.
Regarding the two leaders' diverging moves, various interpretations are circulating inside and outside the party. Some analysts say differences over the makeup of the Central Election Countermeasures Committee lie behind the friction. Song's side reviewed appointing lawmakers such as Na Kyung-won and Ahn Cheol-soo as co-chairs instead of Jang, and Jang's side is said to have opposed it.
Both sides deny any rift within the leadership. In fact, Jang and floor leader Song carried out schedules together in Busan and Daegu on the 2nd and 3rd. Because the rumors flared as the two moved on different tracks, some say the joint activities were aimed at tamping down the controversy.
Separate from the rift rumors, some say the leadership's "two-track" strategy has effectively been set ahead of the local elections. Jang will deliver hard-hitting messages against the opposition and the government, while floor leader Song will focus on supporting the local races. They will also split regions: Jang will mainly handle regional schedules, and Song will take responsibility for the Seoul metropolitan area.
Park Sung-hoon, chief spokesperson of the People Power Party, met reporters at the National Assembly right after the supreme council meeting and, about the two handling separate schedules, said, "The party leader and the floor leader are moving based on strategic judgment," adding, "Please understand that within the broad framework of strategic division of roles, we are supporting campaign activities that help our candidates."
He added, "The party leader is devising election strategy at the central party level and planning to provide side support by visiting livelihood sites," and, "I think he will likely visit metropolitan-level candidates and, strategically, disadvantaged regions such as Honam or by-election areas where candidate support is needed."
With the People Power Party expected to launch the second-half Central Election Countermeasures Committee as early as this week, attention is focusing on how the leadership will divide roles after the launch. For now, momentum is building for Jang to join as a standing co-chair. Asked whether Jang will serve as a co-chair, chief spokesperson Park said, "Looking at past cases, the party leader has joined as the central committee chair or standing co-chair," adding, "Please understand it in that context."