People Power Party Opposes Three Special Prosecutor Bills as Party Platform, No Decision on Leadership's Collective Resignation

Party Platform Opposing Four Bills Confirmed at People Power Party General Assembly on June 5
Kim Yongtae: "Will Decide My Future After Hearing Opinions"

On June 5, the People Power Party officially adopted a party platform opposing the three special prosecutor bills (the Insurrection Special Prosecutor Bill, the Kim Keonhee Special Prosecutor Bill, and the Chae Sangbyeong Special Prosecutor Bill) and the Prosecutors Disciplinary Act, all of which were placed on the plenary session agenda at the initiative of the Democratic Party of Korea.

Park Hyungsoo, the party's chief deputy floor leader, told reporters after a general assembly of lawmakers held at the National Assembly that morning, "We have decided to oppose the four bills unilaterally submitted by the Democratic Party as a party platform."

Yonhap News

According to the current party constitution, changing the party platform requires the approval of at least two-thirds of all sitting lawmakers. It was reported that at the assembly, about 20 lawmakers, including those aligned with Han Donghoon, argued for withdrawing the party platform and switching to a free vote.

Cho Kyungtae, a People Power Party lawmaker, told reporters during the assembly, "There are still a majority of lawmakers who have not properly reflected on why we lost the last presidential election," and added, "Except for the roughly 20 lawmakers who supported changing the party platform, the rest should deeply reconsider the reasons for our defeat."

As a result, a clash between the ruling and opposition parties appears inevitable from the very first plenary session of the National Assembly following the election of President Lee Jaemyung.

Meanwhile, no conclusion was reached regarding the collective resignation of the party leadership, including interim leader Kim Yongtae. While Kim Sanghoon, the party's policy committee chair, as well as Lim Ija and Choi Boyoon, members of the emergency committee, declared their resignations, interim leader Kim reportedly stated that he would decide on his future after hearing the opinions of the lawmakers. The People Power Party reconvened its general assembly at 1:50 p.m. to continue discussions on the matter. Earlier, floor leader Kwon Seongdong announced in his opening remarks at the assembly that he would step down from his position to take responsibility for the presidential election defeat.