SEOUL, June 10 (AJP) -Jeong Jeom-sig, a prosecutor-turned three-term lawmaker and longtime ally of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, was elected floor leader of South Korea's main conservative opposition on Wednesday, underscoring the People Power Party's continued reliance on pro-Yoon figures despite its crushing defeat in last week's local elections.
The People Power Party (PPP) said Jeong defeated four-term lawmaker Kim Do-eup in a runoff vote among party lawmakers at the National Assembly, winning 55 votes to Kim's 48 after no candidate secured a majority in the first round.
Jeong received 47 votes in the initial ballot, followed by Kim with 39 and three-term lawmaker Sung Il-jong with 20.
The leadership race came just one week after the PPP suffered a major setback in the June 3 local elections, losing 12 of 16 metropolitan mayoral and gubernatorial contests to the ruling Democratic Party, deepening questions over the party's direction and leadership.
A former prosecutor and one of the most prominent members of the party's pro-Yoon camp, Jeong is expected to play a pivotal role in determining whether the PPP pursues reconciliation among rival factions or doubles down on its existing power structure.
Born in South Gyeongsang Province, Jeong graduated from Seoul National University's law school and spent 25 years as a prosecutor before entering politics through a 2019 parliamentary by-election. He was subsequently reelected in the 2020 and 2024 general elections.
Jeong previously served as a member of the party's emergency leadership committee and as policy chief. He stepped down from the latter post in 2024 after then-party leader Han Dong-hoon took office amid demands from Han supporters for the collective resignation of the leadership. The episode exposed sharp tensions between Jeong and Han, who publicly clashed over the party's future direction.
More recently, Jeong resigned as policy chief following the PPP's June 3 election defeat, accepting responsibility for the result. His election as floor leader, however, swiftly returns him to one of the party's most influential positions.
The one-year post places Jeong at the center of efforts to contain widening factional divisions and rebuild the conservative party ahead of the next parliamentary elections in 2028.
In his acceptance speech, Jeong sought to project unity. "As I promised, I will never be swayed by the voices of certain individuals or specific factions," he said. "I will make the People Power Party a party that earns the expectations of the people and one that its members can be proud of."
His election is also being closely watched for what it could mean for relations with PPP chairman Jang Dong-hyeok, another leading figure associated with the pro-Yoon bloc.
A five-term PPP lawmaker told AJP that Jeong is unlikely to align completely with Jang despite their shared political roots.
"Jeong won't likely entirely align with hardline leader Jang Dong-hyeok," the lawmaker said. "Jeong is a lawmaker with the attitude of a traditional bureaucrat. He does not make remarks that stand out publicly, but he has his own convictions and thinks very differently from Jang."
The assessment suggests that while both men are broadly categorized as pro-Yoon conservatives, disagreements over key party strategies and legislative priorities could emerge as the PPP struggles to redefine itself after the election defeat.
PPP lawmaker Kim Gunn described Jeong as "a gentle and reasonable person," while another party member characterized him as a strategic politician, suggesting a less confrontational leadership style than that associated with Jang.
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