Kwon Seong-dong Marks 100 Days in Office... 'Two-Track Strategy' Faces Limitations

Stable Party Management Amid Impeachment Turmoil
Insufficient Dual Approach to Hardline Conservatives and Moderates

On the 21st, Kwon Seong-dong, floor leader of the People Power Party, marked 100 days since taking office as floor leader following the approval of President Yoon Seok-yeol's impeachment. He is recognized for relatively stably leading the party and achieving policy results such as pension reform. On the other hand, his 'two-track strategy,' which divides the response strategy between hardline supporters and moderate voters, is evaluated to have shown its limitations.

On this day, although it was his 100th day in office, Floor Leader Kwon did not schedule any related events such as a press conference. This is interpreted as a sign that he intends to focus on current issues amid the chaotic political situation ahead of the ruling on President Yoon's impeachment trial. However, when asked by reporters about his thoughts on the 100-day mark, he replied, "I have endured so far because party lawmakers and the people have supported me," adding, "I will criticize when criticism is due, accept when acceptance is due, and perform my role as floor leader while keeping in tune with public sentiment."

Kwon Seong-dong, floor leader of the People Power Party, is speaking at the floor strategy meeting held at the National Assembly on the 21st. March 21, 2025 Photo by Kim Hyun-min

Inside and outside the political circle, voices mainly praise Floor Leader Kwon for stably leading the party even during the impeachment crisis. First, externally, he is evaluated to have strongly countered the opposition's relentless offensive by releasing a 'direct hit series.' Internally, he calmed the party division between the pro-Yoon Seok-yeol faction and the pro-Han Dong-hoon faction and led a unified front. A second-term lawmaker from the People Power Party said, "Stabilizing the party with steadfast leadership in a difficult situation is highly commendable."

Another notable achievement is the successful pension reform, accomplished amid intense conflict between the ruling and opposition parties for the first time in 18 years. The pension reform negotiations seemed to fall apart as the two sides clashed over whether to include the phrase 'bipartisan agreement' in the special committee formation plan. In this situation, Floor Leader Kwon took a step back by stating, "I am willing to launch the pension special committee even without that sentence," opening the door for negotiations. Although there was internal opposition within the ruling party, calling it an "unfinished reform based on the sacrifice of future generations," consensus was reached with the attitude of "let's handle what is possible one by one."

On the other hand, evaluations are divided over the two-track strategy regarding political response. The leadership, including Floor Leader Kwon, focuses on livelihood-related activities while distancing themselves from the out-of-parliament protests opposing impeachment by party lawmakers. Individual lawmakers show actions aligned with hardline supporters, while the leadership adjusts the level of action to be mindful of moderate voters, dividing roles accordingly.

This strategy has been criticized for losing support from both hardline conservatives and moderate voters. Many lawmakers within the leadership have recently received critical messages from hardline supporters accusing them of not protecting President Yoon. The ambiguous distancing from President Yoon is also seen as a burden to expanding the moderate voter base. Floor Leader Kwon visited President Yoon when he was detained at Seoul Detention Center and visited the presidential residence shortly after the cancellation of his detention. A senior lawmaker said, "The leadership chose a second-best option rather than the best," diagnosing that "the ambiguous balancing act strategy fails to satisfy either side."