Checking One-Party Rule, Personnel Reform... Key Pledges from Five People Power Party Leadership Candidates

On August 3, the People Power Party held a vision forum for candidates running in the party convention to elect new leadership. The candidates for party leader collectively pledged to prevent President Lee Jaemyung's one-party dictatorship and to renew the party, which is currently in crisis. However, Kim Moonsoo and Jang Donghyuk, who are members of the anti-impeachment (Bantan) faction, emphasized party unity, while Ahn Cheolsoo and Cho Kyungtae, from the pro-impeachment (Chantan) faction, stressed the need to sever ties with far-right forces. Joo Jinwoo highlighted the necessity of generational change and promoted his own competitiveness as a new face for the conservative party.

The vision forum, held at the People Power Party headquarters under the slogan "It's the People Again," featured five candidates for party leader who are running in the August 22 convention: former Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Moonsoo, and lawmakers Ahn Cheolsoo, Jang Donghyuk, Cho Kyungtae, and Joo Jinwoo (listed in Korean alphabetical order). Before the forum began, Song Eonseok, acting emergency committee chair and floor leader of the People Power Party, addressed the five candidates, saying, "I earnestly ask you to demonstrate a competition of visions for the party's change and innovation, as well as for the future of the Republic of Korea," thus opening the event.

On the 3rd, at the 6th Party Convention Candidate Vision Meeting held at the People Power Party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, party leader candidates Joo Jinwoo (from left), Kim Moonsoo, Ahn Cheolsoo, Cho Kyungtae, and Jang Donghyuk are taking a commemorative photo. Photo by Yonhap News

Joo Jinwoo, the first speaker to take the podium, defined himself as someone who keeps a distance from both the anti-impeachment (Bantan) and pro-impeachment (Chantan) factions. Joo declared, "To restore the honor of conservatism, we need a new face," and promised, "I will appoint all key party positions to first- and second-term lawmakers and will actively hire young and talented aides and party officials." He also warned, "I will establish a system that ensures lawmakers who do not work are definitely expelled."

Kim Moonsoo, the second speaker, raised his voice, saying, "President Lee Jaemyung and the Democratic Party are plotting a one-party dictatorship and are inciting rebellion to dissolve the People Power Party." Kim asserted, "We cannot win if we are divided and fragmented. I will become a party leader who unites the party with leadership based on harmony and unity," and pledged, "For important party platform decisions, I will conduct a vote of all party members and activate debates."

He also expressed his ambitions for the upcoming 9th nationwide local elections. Kim stated, "I have experience saving the party from crisis as the chair of the nomination review committee and the talent recruitment committee," and added, "If elected, I will immediately operate a local election planning team led by the party leader, and I will ensure clean and transparent nominations to secure victory in the local elections."

Ahn Cheolsoo, the third speaker, began with a self-critical assessment, saying the party must recognize its current reality. Ahn remarked, "At present, the People Power Party's vision is a blank slate that cannot be found," and criticized, "Despite being a terminal patient in need of immediate surgery, the party is instead recklessly believing in natural healing."

Ahn pointed out, "The party's approval rating is 17%, meaning more than 8 out of 10 citizens do not support us. In Seoul, Gyeonggi, Incheon, Chungcheong, Honam, Gangwon, Jeju, and even Yeongnam, there are more people who distrust the People Power Party." He lamented, "Democratic Party lawmakers are holding a daily contest to flatter President Lee Jaemyung, and the Seongnam faction, which is the deep state of the Lee Jaemyung administration, continues to announce poor personnel appointments and bizarre policies. Nevertheless, more than half of the public trusts the Democratic Party over us."

Ahn identified severing ties with extremist forces as the key to resolving the situation. He emphasized, "Instead of telling lecturers who defend martial law to leave the party immediately, some people bow their heads and line up for TV appearances. Some ruined the party during the presidential election and, after losing the trust of party members, refuse to reflect, repent, or even consider minimal innovation. We must judge former President Yoon and the extreme forces who revere martial law through the will of the party members."

He also stressed the importance of discovering new political resources for the reconstruction of conservatism. Ahn pledged, "I will effectively establish a Youth Party, granting it the autonomy to hold its own convention and operate key positions such as Youth Party leader. I will strengthen the public's voice in electing the party leader, and, like advanced countries, local government heads will be elected 100% by party members."

Cho Kyungtae also emphasized the need to break with past mistakes. Cho said, "This party convention is our last chance, and we must win strong public support by completely severing ties with our wrongful past," and announced five key pledges. Cho stated, "I will usher in an era of party member sovereignty, creating a points system so that party members who have devoted themselves to the party are not excluded from major positions, policies, or nomination reviews, but are instead given preferential treatment." He also pledged to relocate central government ministries to the regions, establish a youth autonomous policy committee directly under the party leader, revive the national bar exam, and create a 100% public personnel reform committee.

Lastly, Jang Donghyuk, who took the microphone, stated, "Opposing impeachment cannot be equated with defending martial law or rebellion," and drew a line by saying, "Those who followed party policy and fought hard cannot be the targets of innovation." Jang added, "Claiming that the investigations by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials and the Constitutional Court's trial procedures are unfair does not make one an extremist. Those who stayed away from the fight have no right to point fingers at comrades who were bloodied in battle." This was interpreted as expressing discomfort with the so-called "Chantan" candidates' emphasis on personnel reform.

The People Power Party will hold its convention on August 22 to elect a new leader. The candidates who advanced to the preliminary round for party leader are Kim Moonsoo (in Korean alphabetical order), former Minister of Employment and Labor; lawmakers Ahn Cheolsoo, Jang Donghyuk, Cho Kyungtae, and Joo Jinwoo. The 11 candidates for the Supreme Council are Kim Geunsik, Kim Minsu, Kim Jaewon, Kim Taewoo, Son Beomgyu, Shin Dongwook, Yang Hyangja, Jang Youngha, Choi Sujin, Ham Unkyung, and Hong Seokjun. On August 5-6, the People Power Party will narrow the candidates for party leader to four and the Supreme Council candidates to eight through a preliminary round, reflecting 50% of the votes from responsible party members and 50% from a public opinion poll.