PPP Adopts Mandatory Youth Nominations for Local Elections... Kim Joungho Automatically Expelled

Mandatory nomination of one woman and one young candidate in each parliamentary constituency

The People Power Party will introduce a mandatory youth nomination system for the June 3 local elections. In addition, it has decided to introduce a "quantitative bonus point system," under which up to 20 points can be added based on primary vote share, and to add it to the party rules.

According to Chief Spokesperson Choi Boyoon, the People Power Party held a Supreme Council meeting on the morning of the 9th and received a report from Jeong Jeomsik, Chair of the Special Committee on Party Platform, Constitution and Rules Revision (and Policy Committee Chair), on a draft revision of the party constitution and rules that includes these measures.

Jang Donghyeok, leader of the People Power Party, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on Feb. 9, 2026. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

First, the People Power Party decided to allow the Central Party Nomination Management Committee to hold youth auditions in connection with the nomination of proportional and metropolitan council members. It also decided to make it mandatory to nominate one woman and one young person in each parliamentary constituency.

In particular, the party rules now include a "quantitative bonus point system" that allows up to 20 points to be added based on vote share in the primary. Under this system, the final vote share is calculated by directly adding the bonus points granted to each candidate to the vote share they obtain in the primary. The People Power Party explained that this is expected to serve as an opportunity to substantially expand political participation opportunities for young people and newcomers.

The People Power Party also decided that candidates for the heads of basic local governments with a population of 500,000 or more will be recommended by the Central Party Nomination Committee. Spokesperson Choi said, "We took into account that large cities with a population of 500,000 or more, including special-case cities, are key areas that can immediately affect the landscape of by-elections and re-elections."

In addition, the party decided to introduce a primary system in strategic constituencies that will take the form of public auditions. Spokesperson Choi explained that the intent is to enhance competitiveness in the general election through nominations that can broaden voter support and interest.

A plan was also reported under which, if a Supreme Council member resigns to run in a public office election, a by-election will be held without converting the party leadership into an Emergency Response Committee. Other reported measures included: introducing a vote of all party members on major party policies; expanding the period for paying membership dues required of responsible party members (from 3 months to 6 months within a year); and establishing a Labor Bureau within the party secretariat.

Meanwhile, the expulsion of former Supreme Council member Kim Joungho, aligned with the pro-Han faction, who received a recommendation to leave the party from the party’s Ethics Committee for violating the duty to maintain dignity and the duty of faithful performance of duties, was finalized on this day. Spokesperson Choi said, "The party constitution and rules state that if a member who is recommended to leave the party does not submit a withdrawal report within 10 days, they are to be expelled without a resolution by the Supreme Council," adding, "He (former Supreme Council member Kim) has been expelled."