Within the People Power Party, criticism continues over the party membership of Korean history lecturer Jeon Hangil, with calls to prevent the party from becoming an extreme right-wing party.
On July 20, former leader Han Donghoon stated on Facebook, "We must prevent the People Power Party from becoming an extreme right-wing party," adding, "Even at this moment, there are groups inciting slogans like 'Protect Yoon Sukyeol' and 'Expose election fraud,' and these groups are clearly extreme right-wing."
Han also criticized Jeon, saying, "A leading figure of the extreme right, known for conspiracy theories about election fraud and as a representative of Yoon Again, has joined the People Power Party. It is said that at a rally calling for the release of former President Yoon Sukyeol, he questioned whether he or Han Donghoon is the true leader of the conservatives." Han continued, "Treating the people not as the owners but as tools, and instilling distorted and extreme ideas to incite them?this kind of anti-intellectualism is one of the core characteristics of the extreme right."
He further stated, "During the last presidential election, Kim Moonsoo's campaign reportedly attempted a merger between the People Power Party and the Our Republican Party, which is known as one of the extreme right-wing parties." He added, "Instead of reflecting and reforming after the election, the party is accelerating a backward path by allowing extreme right-wing figures to join while threatening to discipline those who call for reform. This is a blatant case of blaming others while being at fault."
He concluded, "The path toward becoming an extreme right-wing party is truly a path to ruin," and warned, "The People Power Party, a traditional public party, risks being mocked by the sensible majority and shrinking into a 'cult party' like a white dwarf."
Criticism was also raised within the party leadership regarding Jeon's admission. Emergency committee member Cho Eunhee wrote on Facebook, "While I acknowledge that Jeon raised his voice against the Democratic Party's tyranny, his current words and actions are completely at odds with our party's ideology." She pointed out, "Jeon's claim that '100,000 members of Jeon Hangil TV have joined the party' is a serious act that has thrown the party into confusion."
A lawmaker aligned with Han Donghoon also expressed a negative view. Representative Park Junghoon wrote on Facebook, "Even if those who were responsible in the past temporarily join hands with extremism to cover up their own faults, I believe our party members will clearly draw a line with them," adding, "I trust in our party's ability to self-correct."
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