Joo Jinwoo Vows to End Never-Ending Factional War in Party Leadership Bid

Representative Joo:
"We Must Unite as One to Fight the Democratic Party"

Representative Joo Jinwoo, who declared his candidacy for party leader in the August 22 People Power Party convention, appealed for support on July 27, stating, "I will put an end to this never-ending (factional) war."

In a post on Facebook that morning, Joo said, "The opponent we must unite to fight against is the Democratic Party."

Joo, who described the current situation within the People Power Party as "Factional Fight Season 2," stated, "The opponent we must unite to fight against is the Democratic Party. Kim Moonsoo and Jang Donghyuk are in the anti-Tanpa camp, while Ahn Cheolsoo and Cho Kyungtae are in the pro-Tanpa camp. Each side is vowing to 'cleanse' the other, calling them 'internal shooters' and 'far-right.' Supporters are split in half, and the party's approval rating has also been cut in half," he pointed out.

Joo Jinwoo, a member of the People Power Party, is declaring his candidacy for the party leadership at the National Assembly Communication Office on the 24th. 2025.7.24 Photo by Kim Hyunmin

Joo, who fiercely attacked Lee Jinsook, the nominee for Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Education, and Kang Sunwoo, the former nominee for Minister of Gender Equality and Family, during the first National Assembly confirmation hearings for a cabinet-level official under the Lee Jaemyung administration, confessed, "When I was fighting the Democratic Party alone, I was frustrated that our firepower could not be concentrated because the party was divided."

He continued, "Even after the party convention ends, the factional fights will likely continue. This is why the public has turned their backs on us. By the time we are watching Factional Fight Season 2, the local elections will end in defeat. Even now, we have only 107 seats. If more members defect and we are reduced to 70 to 90 seats, we will not only fail to fulfill our role as the main opposition, but we won't even be able to block a unilateral constitutional amendment. That would mean a long-term presidency for Lee Jaemyung," he warned.

Joo also said, "During the presidential election, I worked hard to support Kim Moonsoo, stood alongside Jang Donghyuk against the Democratic Party, collaborated with Ahn Cheolsoo on artificial intelligence (AI) policy, and worked with Cho Kyungtae on plans for the development of Busan. If our beloved party stops dividing and my fighting spirit is combined to create synergy, we can become a 'young and strong party,'" he appealed for support.

He further emphasized, "If I become party leader, I will block all of the Democratic Party's attempts at special prosecutors, expulsions, party dissolutions, indictments being dropped, and indiscriminate pardons. The very fact that a first-term, non-factional political newcomer like Joo Jinwoo becomes leader is itself renewal," he asserted.