People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok dismissed calls to resign.
At a press conference at the National Assembly on the afternoon of Aug. 8, Jang took a question about his future and rejected calls to resign, saying, "If you look at the objective data, how do you evaluate the local election results?" It is read as meaning there is no reason to step down because the People Power Party won the local elections.
In this local election, the People Power Party lost in 12 of the 16 metropolitan mayor and governor races. In a dramatic late turnaround in the vote count, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon held Seoul, but Oh's side said help from leader Jang Dong-hyeok was not significant.
At the press conference, Jang strongly pushed for a special counsel investigation into the National Election Commission and for by-elections. On the special counsel, he said he had common ground with Democratic Party leader Jung Chung-rae. Jang said, "I ran into leader Jung Chung-rae while leaving the members' office building, and Jung also agreed on the special counsel," adding, "The National Assembly should share the view that the people's suffrage was infringed and move in the same direction on a parliamentary inquiry and a special counsel."
He also continued to call for full by-elections. Jang said, "To set the party line, we have to go through a general meeting of lawmakers," adding, "I will discuss it when the floor leadership is formed."
Jang said, "If a shortage of ballot papers occurred in 67 places nationwide, it is a serious problem," adding, "We do not know whether there are more issues. If the National Election Commission cannot provide a proper answer, I think we should hold by-elections."