No Majority Winner in People Power Party Leadership Race
Two "Anti-Impeachment" Candidates Advance to Runoff... Final Decision on the 26th
In the People Power Party's new leadership election, candidates Kim Moonsoo and Jang Donghyuk, both members of the so-called "anti-impeachment" faction, placed first and second respectively (in alphabetical order) and advanced to the runoff.
Candidates Ahn Cheolsoo and Cho Kyungtae, who belong to the "pro-impeachment" faction, were eliminated.
On the 22nd, at Cheongju Osco in Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju, Chungbuk, Ahn Cheolsoo (from left), Kim Moonsoo, Cho Kyungtae, and Jang Donghyuk, candidates for the People Power Party's 6th leadership election, are taking a commemorative photo. Photo by Yonhap News
On the afternoon of the 22nd, at Cheongju Osco in Cheongju, Chungbuk, the People Power Party announced that, based on the results of the 6th party convention-which consisted of 80% party member votes and 20% general public opinion polls-Kim and Jang were selected as the finalists for the runoff.
The People Power Party only announced the names of the finalists, without disclosing their rankings or vote percentages. The party stated, "We are not releasing the main election results to prevent them from influencing the runoff vote," and added, "We are announcing only the names of the two finalists in alphabetical order."
As no candidate secured a majority of votes, the two candidates who ranked first and second will compete again in the runoff. After a TV debate on the 23rd, the runoff vote will take place from the 24th to the 25th, and the final party leader will be confirmed on the 26th at the main auditorium of the National Assembly Library.
Both Kim and Jang are classified as members of the anti-impeachment faction. Kim has stated that while he acknowledges wrongdoing in former President Yoon Sukyeol's martial law declaration, he "cannot accept the Constitutional Court's impeachment ruling as perfect in every respect." Jang has also opposed the impeachment.
In contrast, Ahn Cheolsoo and Cho Kyungtae, who have emphasized distancing themselves from the far-right faction within the party, including former President Yoon, did not make it to the runoff.
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