At the People Power Party general meeting of lawmakers, the prevailing view coalesced that party leader Jang Dong-hyeok should step down. Still, the likelihood that Jang, who has been calling for a rerun election, will actually resign is not high.
The People Power Party held a general meeting of lawmakers at the National Assembly on the afternoon of the 17th. It was convened to confirm the appointment of the deputy floor leadership named after new floor leader Jeong Jeom-sik took office and to gather lawmakers' views on election petitions related to the June 3 local elections.
The biggest focus was on Jang's future. Alternative and Future, a group of junior lawmakers in the party, has been urging Jang to resign, citing responsibility for the crushing election defeat. Lawmakers aligned with pro-Han figures and the party mainstream in the TK and PK regions also appeared to lean toward Jang stepping down.
Choi Eun-seok, the People Power Party's senior deputy floor spokesperson, told reporters after the general meeting ended, "Many people offered opinions regarding Jang's future, and there were more views that it would be better for him to take responsibility for what happened in the election results and during the campaign." Choi added, "We decided to convey it as is, that the opinion favoring Jang taking responsibility is predominant."
In fact, it is reported that a majority of lawmakers who attended the meeting called on Jang to resign. A lawmaker from PK said, "Regardless of the election results, Jang should step down simply for having caused this situation," adding, "At a time when support for the government and the ruling party is plunging, the very fact that our party is split over Jang's future is the problem."
A first-term lawmaker from the Seoul metropolitan area also said, "I did not directly voice my opinion at the meeting, but there was a broad consensus in favor of Jang's resignation," adding, "It is time to focus the party's energy on criticizing the policy failures of the Lee Jae-myung administration."
Lawmaker Park Jun-tae, who serves as chief of staff to the party leader, defended Jang and even exchanged sharp words with other lawmakers. Before the closed-door meeting began, when lawmaker Song Seok-jun attacked the leadership as "the worst party," Park retorted, "Do it outside."
Park stepped out during the meeting and told reporters, "I demand the dissolution of Alternative and Future," adding, "For the past six months, they have relentlessly demanded the party leader's resignation without presenting any alternative. Is ousting the party leader more important than protecting the people's suffrage?" In response, lawmaker Kwon Young-jin shot back, "Do you have the standing to call for its dissolution?"
Meanwhile, the People Power Party reached a consensus to file election petitions limited to seven regions: Seoul, Gyeonggi, Incheon, Jeonnam-Gwangju, Ulsan, Busan and North Chungcheong. Choi, the senior deputy floor spokesperson, said, "We have conveyed to Jang the view that it would be appropriate to seek election petitions on a limited basis in seven places, focusing on areas that had ballot shortages or where voting was suspended," adding, "Since the party leader said he would respect the general meeting of lawmakers, he is expected to make the final decision without a separate supreme council vote."