People Power Party Struggles Again with Far-Right and Insurrection Frame

With Jeon Hangil Joining and a "Prison Message" from Yoon Seokyeol
Ahead of the National Convention, Another Round of "Pro-Impeachment vs. Anti-Impeachment"
General Meeting Repeatedly Postponed... Leadership Avoids Conflict Amid Internal Strife

The People Power Party, which had pledged innovation, is once again falling into the far-right and insurrection frame just one month before its national convention. Following the admission of Jeon Hangil, who advocates for the theory of election fraud, even a "prison message" from former President Yoon Seokyeol has emerged, leading to a situation where the internal party issue is dominated by the divide over impeachment. As even the members' meetings, which are supposed to mediate differing opinions, are repeatedly postponed, the momentum for innovation is weakening and internal strife is deepening.

Song Eonseok, Emergency Response Committee Chairman and Floor Leader of the People Power Party, is speaking at the members' meeting held at the National Assembly on July 4, 2025. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

According to political circles on July 22, controversy over the party's shift to the far right, including the "Yoon Again" movement, is spreading within the People Power Party. This is because, following Jeon's recent admission, the confrontation among party leader candidates over whether to embrace supporters of former President Yoon has become more pronounced. Jang Donghyuk, a lawmaker supported by Yoon's faction, stated, "We can no longer tolerate the internal saboteurs who supported impeachment." However, Han Donghoon, Ahn Cheolsoo, Cho Kyungtae, and other pro-impeachment figures insist that the party must break away from insurrection and martial law.

On top of this, former President Yoon further fueled the situation by issuing a message the previous day, saying, "Ultimately, history will judge whether martial law was the right decision." He also described the special prosecutor's investigation as "utterly absurd political oppression," adding, "I believe the people, as sovereigns, will protect the liberal democracy of the Republic of Korea." This is interpreted as an attempt to rally his supporters ahead of the special prosecutor's investigation and the People Power Party's national convention.

With Jeon declaring that he will "revive the broken People Power Party" and pledging to exert influence at the national convention scheduled for August 22, and with former President Yoon's intervention, factional conflict is expected to intensify further. Kim Yongtae, a lawmaker who previously served as Emergency Response Committee Chairman, wrote on social media (Facebook) that "holding the national convention as a contest between reform and anti-reform, or far-right and anti-far-right, is itself division and defeat," emphasizing that "'Yoon Again' is outside the scope of diversity and tolerance for a liberal democratic party."

Meanwhile, the members' meeting originally scheduled for July 20 continues to be postponed. Although the official reason is to support recovery efforts from flood damage caused by heavy rains, some suggest that the party leadership is avoiding discussions on far-right tendencies and innovation proposals. Park Sunghoon, chief spokesperson for the People Power Party, told reporters the previous day regarding the timing of the meeting, "We will set the date after comprehensively considering the recovery situation at the flood sites," adding, "It will be after the 23rd at the earliest."

With discussions on the innovation proposal submitted by Yoon Heesook, chair of the Innovation Committee, being delayed, there are also assessments that the committee has lost its momentum. A senior lawmaker in the People Power Party commented on Yoon's proposals, such as specifying an official apology in the party constitution and regulations, and requesting the resignation of four key figures including Song Eonseok, Emergency Response Committee Chairman and Floor Leader, saying, "Taking such measures at this point feels quite awkward and artificial." Another party official said, "With the national convention scheduled for next month, it is realistically difficult for the innovation proposal to be accepted," adding, "It is highly likely that discussions on innovation will be passed on to the next leadership."