'Defeated' Kim Geunsik: "Hooligan Party Members Have Taken Over People Power Party... Filled Only With Hostility, Not Ability"

Kim Geunsik Analyzes Defeat in Supreme Council Election
"Many Reformist Votes Seem to Have Left or Abstained"
Kim Moonsoo vs. Jang Donghyuk Runoff Sparks "Uneasy Sense of Deja Vu"

Professor Geunsik Kim of Gyeongnam University, who was defeated in the People Power Party Supreme Council member election, commented on the current state of the party, stating, "It seems clear that hooligan party members have taken control of our party." On the 24th, Professor Kim wrote on his social networking service (SNS), "The term 'hooligan party members' is my son's expression," and pointed out, "Hooligans are not those who support their own team's abilities, but rather troublemakers filled only with hostility toward the opposing team." This is interpreted as a reference to the fact that Kim Moonsoo and Jang Donghyuk, who have opposed the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk-yeol, advanced to the runoff in the party leader election.

Professor Geunsik Kim of Gyeongnam University, a candidate in the People Power Party Supreme Council member election. People Power Party

Regarding his defeat in the Supreme Council member election, Professor Kim analyzed, "In the presidential primary, the vote split between Kim Moonsoo and Han Donghoon was 6 to 4, but in this convention, it was tallied at 7.5 to 2.5. It appears that a significant number of reformist votes either left or abstained." He continued, "As I became identified as the vanguard of reform, it seems that the anti-reform side absolutely refused to give even one of their two votes to Geunsik Kim."

Professor Kim said, "If I lost because I was clear in my stance, I have no regrets," but added, "I have an uneasy sense of deja vu." He explained, "Back in 2016, during the impeachment of former President Park Geun-hye, the party put forward Hong Joonpyo, then mayor of Daegu, but suffered crushing defeats in both the presidential and local elections. Similarly, in 2019, former Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn led the United Future Party and was defeated in the general election."

He continued, "Our party only started winning from the April 2021 Seoul mayoral by-election." He pointed out, "At that time, the emergency leadership committee under Kim Chongin expanded the party's centrist appeal by apologizing for former presidents and making a symbolic apology in Gwangju in May. Rational party members, rather than hooligans, elected Lee Junseok as party leader, opening the door to reform." He added, "I am overwhelmed by the fear that we are now repeating the same path as after the 2016 impeachment, when hardline conservatives took over and stirred up the party, leading to repeated defeats in presidential, local, and general elections. Will we lose next year's local elections, then elect a hooligan party leader like Hwang Kyo-ahn at the next convention, and even lose the 2028 general election?"

He further emphasized, "What distinguishes humans from animals is the ability to remember the past and learn lessons from it," and stressed, "If we repeat the same dismal failures from just a few years ago, we are no longer acting as humans."

The runoff vote to elect the new leader of the People Power Party will conclude on August 25, 2025. According to the People Power Party convention election management committee on August 24, the final turnout for the mobile (online) runoff vote for party leader candidates was recorded at 39.75%. This is 2.24 percentage points higher than the turnout on the first day of the main election held on August 20, which was 37.51%. Previously, at the convention on August 22, Assemblyman Shin Dongwook, former spokesperson Kim Minsu, former Assemblywoman Yang Hyangja, and former Supreme Council member Kim Jaewon were elected as Supreme Council members. In the youth Supreme Council member race, which is contested among those under the age of 45, incumbent Woo Jaejun, who is affiliated with the pro-Han Donghoon faction, won.