The Ruling Party's Resignation Roadmap and Impeachment Stance Likely to Depend on Who Becomes Floor Leader

Pro-Chin Yoon Kwon Seong-dong vs Anti-Chin Kim Tae-ho Showdown
Permanent Special Investigation Law on Rebellion, Kwon Seong-dong and Kim Tae-ho Disagree
"Difficult to Prevent Defection Votes Against Impeachment"

The People Power Party has decided not to reach a conclusion regarding President Yoon Seok-yeol's resignation roadmap and participation in the impeachment vote, opting instead to hold the floor leader election first on the 12th. Depending on who is elected as the floor leader, discussions related to the roadmap as well as the voting situation on President Yoon's impeachment bill scheduled for the 14th could change.

The People Power Party did not hold a party meeting on the morning of the 11th. Instead, they decided to continue discussions once the new floor leader is appointed. Bae Jun-young, the party’s senior deputy floor leader, told reporters that morning, "This time is for organizing," adding, "The new floor leader will take the lead in setting the policy." Kwak Kyu-taek, the chief spokesperson, also said on YTN radio that day, "It seems that People Power Party lawmakers will discuss whether to participate in the vote on the 14th with the new floor leadership," and "The decision will be made according to the direction set then."

As the impeachment motion against President Yoon Seok-yeol failed to pass due to a lack of quorum caused by the collective abstention of People Power Party lawmakers, citizens are urging President Yoon's impeachment in front of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 9th. On the same day, the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions will hold a candlelight rally at 6 p.m. in front of the National Assembly, followed by a candlelight action by civic groups at 7 p.m. Photo by Jo Yong-jun

Currently, the resignation roadmap for President Yoon being discussed within the People Power Party includes two options: 'resignation in February with a presidential election in April' and 'resignation in March with a presidential election in May.' Proposed by the political stabilization task force (TF), this essentially means President Yoon’s 'early resignation.' This aligns with the 'early resignation equivalent to impeachment' schedule demanded by some pro-Han faction members. However, once the new floor leadership is formed, all previously discussed matters, including this roadmap and the impeachment vote, could change.

This floor leader election is a showdown between pro-Yoon faction lawmaker Kwon Seong-dong (5-term, Gangwon Gangneung) and non-pro-Yoon faction lawmaker Kim Tae-ho (4-term, Gyeongnam Yangsan). Kwon, who has served as party secretary-general and floor leader, enjoys strong trust from senior members and is classified as an original pro-Yoon figure, being both a senior and junior colleague of President Yoon in the prosecution and having played a key role in Yoon’s election in the last presidential race. His competitor, Kim, is relatively faction-neutral and has never been classified as pro-Yoon or pro-Han, gaining support from pro-Han faction and first- and second-term lawmakers, but is also considered to have relatively weak support within the party due to his lack of factional ties. Therefore, depending on who is elected, the situation could change rapidly. In the plenary session held the previous day, Kwon opposed the vote on the 'Special Prosecutor Investigation Request for the Truth of the Treasonous Act through the Unconstitutional Emergency Martial Law Declaration (Permanent Special Investigation Act for Treason),' while Kim supported it. However, neither candidate has revealed specific positions on the emergency martial law incident, resignation, or impeachment.

If the new floor leader overturns the existing roadmap and refuses to vote as in the first round, it is expected to be even more difficult to prevent defections from the ruling party during the impeachment vote. Within the People Power Party, there is already a strong voice that all lawmakers should participate in the impeachment vote. It is known that many lawmakers, regardless of their stance for or against, believe that 'voting must be done.' Therefore, even if the party line is set to refuse voting, there is a view that many defections ignoring this could occur. A People Power Party official said, "Lawmakers know the situation well because when they visit their constituencies, there is much more public opinion demanding the president’s impeachment," adding, "In reality, it seems that more than a dozen lawmakers support the impeachment bill."