'Yoon Impeachment Passed' Collapse of Han Dong-hoon Regime... People Power Party Resolves Total Resignation of Leadership (Comprehensive)

All Five Elected Supreme Council Members Resign
Han Dong-hoon "I Will Perform My Duties"
Conflict Expected Over Transition to Emergency Committee System

After the impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk-yeol was passed in the National Assembly plenary session on the 14th, the leadership of the People Power Party under Han Dong-hoon collapsed. Although Han Dong-hoon, the leader of the People Power Party, dismissed calls by saying he would "perform his duties," the party's five elected Supreme Council members unanimously resolved to resign at a party members' meeting. Accordingly, the People Power Party is expected to revert to an emergency committee system.

On the same day, immediately after the impeachment motion was passed in the National Assembly with 204 votes in favor, 85 against, 3 abstentions, and 8 invalid votes out of 300 total votes, four Supreme Council members?Jang Dong-hyuk, Kim Min-jeon, In Yo-han, and Jin Jong-oh, the youth Supreme Council member?expressed their intention to resign at the party members' meeting. Kim Jae-won, an out-of-office Supreme Council member, also announced his resignation intention via Facebook shortly afterward. Among the 93 members present at the meeting, 73 raised their hands to resolve the total resignation of the party leadership. Kim Jae-won wrote on his Facebook, "As a member of the People Power Party leadership, I believe no one can be free from this responsibility," adding, "This is about taking appropriate responsibility for the authority granted to the party leader and Supreme Council members by our party members and supporters." According to the People Power Party's constitution and regulations, if four or more of the five elected Supreme Council members resign, the Supreme Council is dissolved, and the party switches to an emergency committee system.

Just before the impeachment vote, the People Power Party had set an 'opposition party line' at a party members' meeting, but with at least 12 defections, the impeachment motion passed, prompting calls within the party for the leadership's resignation. Kim Dae-sik, the senior floor spokesperson for the People Power Party, told reporters after the party members' meeting, "There was a resolution for the total resignation of the party leadership. Before the resolution, Supreme Council members who hold parliamentary seats?Jang Dong-hyuk, Kim Min-jeon, In Yo-han, and Jin Jong-oh?resigned on the spot, taking responsibility," adding, "It is devastating. I will express it with the phrase 'Mumyeondogang' (無面渡江), meaning having no face to return home after failure." Regarding Han's refusal to resign, he said, "The party members' meeting resolved the total resignation of the party leadership today. I believe Han will have an answer to that," urging him again to step down. Kim also explained that the People Power Party plans to discuss the future leadership structure on the 16th.

Handonghun, the leader of the People Power Party, is coming out of the members' meeting held after the impeachment motion against President Yoon Seok-yeol was passed at the National Assembly on the 14th, responding to questions from the press. Photo by Kim Hyun-min

On the other hand, after attending the party members' meeting that day, Han clearly stated to reporters that he had no intention of resigning, saying, "I will perform my duties." Han said, "I tried to resolve this serious illegal martial law situation while minimizing harm to the people and deeply considered orderly resignation plans, including early resignation. However, it was aborted because the president did not keep his promise," adding, "In that case, I thought that passing the impeachment motion was inevitable to promptly suspend the president's duties and quickly restore normalcy. That is why this result came about, and I have done all I can."

The conflict over the interpretation of the party constitution is expected to intensify as the pro-Yoon faction's pressure for resignation clashes with Han's refusal to step down. Article 96, Paragraph 1 of the People Power Party constitution stipulates that if the party leader resigns or is vacant, or if four or more of the five elected Supreme Council members and youth Supreme Council members resign, or if the Supreme Council unanimously agrees to establish an emergency committee, the emergency committee shall be established. Paragraph 4 of the same article states that the emergency committee chairperson shall be appointed by the party leader, acting party leader, or acting chairperson after a resolution by the national committee. Accordingly, if Han does not resign, a conflict is expected between him and Floor Leader Kwon over who is the party head authorized to appoint the emergency committee chairperson.

Kwon Seong-dong, floor leader of the People Power Party, is attending an emergency members' meeting held at the National Assembly on the 14th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min