Joo Ho-young: "Just Changing the Party Name Is 'Podae Gali'... Must Sever Ties with Wrongdoings of the Past for Real Effect"

People Power Party Begins Party Name Change Process After Five Years
Joo Ho-young: "Only the Outer Sack Is Being Changed While the Contents Remain the Same"
PPP Has Changed Its Name During Every Crisis Over the Past 30 Years

As the People Power Party is pushing for a party name change, Joo Ho-young, the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly and a member of the party, criticized the move by comparing it to "podae gali" (changing only the sack). In an interview on BBS Radio's "Morning Journal with Keum Tae-seop" on the 12th, Deputy Speaker Joo commented on the party's name change efforts, saying, "The contents remain the same, but only the outer sack is being changed," and added, "It is neither desirable nor will it succeed."

As the People Power Party is pushing for a party name change, Joo Ho-young, the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly affiliated with the party, criticized it by comparing it to "podae gali" (changing the sack). Photo by The Asia Business Daily

Deputy Speaker Joo stated, "Changing the party name is supposed to show the public and voters that the party has completely changed from its previous ways, but if only the name changes while the substance and form remain the same, it will have little effect." He continued, "If there is enough determination to change the party name, then there should also be measures to completely sever ties with past practices that were wrong or undesirable. Only then will changing the party name have any effect," and pointed out, "If that does not follow, it is just a costly 'podae gali' for the party."

He added, "It is necessary to manage the core supporters so that even they do not leave, while also expanding toward the center, but currently, if one side is chosen, the other side flees," and expressed concern, "I worry that by favoring and cherishing only the core supporters, the party may be creating behaviors that moderates or other citizens dislike."

The People Power Party has begun the process of changing its name for the first time in about five years, ahead of the June 3 local elections. As part of the party reform plan announced by leader Jang Donghyuk at the New Year's press conference, a new party name is expected to be finalized next month. According to a survey conducted from the 9th to the 11th of this month among 774,000 full party members, 68.19% of respondents expressed support for changing the party name.

At the same time, the party received approximately 18,000 suggestions for the new party name from full party members. Starting on the 12th, the People Power Party, led by Assemblywoman Seo Ji-young, the head of the party's PR division, is holding a nationwide contest for the new party name. If necessary, the party plans to form a task force for the name change and complete the process, including expert review, before the Lunar New Year holiday.

Jang Donghyuk, leader of the People Power Party, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 12th. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

The People Power Party has changed its name several times in the past. Ahead of the 1997 presidential election, then-leader Lee Hoi-chang of the New Korea Party changed the party's name to the Grand National Party, which was maintained for about 15 years until 2012. However, when the party faced a crisis due to the National Assembly cash envelope scandal at the end of the Lee Myung-bak administration, then-presidential candidate Park Geun-hye changed the party's name to the Saenuri Party, eventually winning the presidency.

After former President Park Geun-hye was impeached over the state affairs manipulation scandal, the party changed its name to the Liberty Korea Party and then to the United Future Party, but these changes did not yield the expected results. In September 2020, the party adopted its current name, the People Power Party, and succeeded in electing former President Yoon Suk-yeol. However, after Yoon was impeached in connection with the 12·3 Martial Law, the party is once again changing its name ahead of the local elections in June.