Amid the political fallout from the June 3 local elections and by-elections, calls for the resignation of party leaders have emerged within both major parties. Jung Cheong-rae, leader of the Democratic Party, is actively engaging with the public, while Jang Dong-hyuk, leader of the People Power Party, is countering resignation demands primarily through social media.
On June 12, Jung visited the May 18 Democratic Cemetery and held a party meeting at the Kim Dae-jung Convention Center in Gwangju, a key area for the upcoming party convention in August. He stated, "Honam is like a parent to the Democratic Party, always nurturing and caring for us, whether we are successful or not." This comment reflects his attempt to unify the divided sentiments in the region following the election results that have led to calls for his resignation.
Negative sentiment towards Jung is palpable in Honam. Recently, former South Jeolla Province Governor Kim Young-rok expressed on Facebook, "I will dedicate everything to bring down Jung. He has completely ignored the people of Honam." Additionally, Jung defended his proposed one-person, one-vote system against internal party criticism, asserting on Facebook, "One person, one vote is democracy itself, and democracy must be upheld."
While Jung balances on-the-ground engagement with social media, Jang is focusing more on online activities. On the same day, he posted a survey on Facebook evaluating the local election results, stating, "Jang Dong-hyuk's mental victory? Their mental defeat!" The survey indicated that more respondents felt the People Power Party performed better than the Democratic Party. He also commented the previous day, "The Democratic Party is demanding Jung's resignation after claiming defeat, while our party is calling for my resignation."
Jang dismissed the significance of the so-called 'golden cross' in party support ratings, stating, "The survey results showing the People Power Party performed better are being ignored." This response came as younger party members called for his resignation, prompting him to directly address the issue on Facebook.
Opinions on the election results vary, with some asserting that the Democratic Party won decisively by securing 12 out of 16 gubernatorial seats, while others argue that the People Power Party effectively maintained control of the capital, Seoul, and gained four seats in the by-elections. This divergence in perspectives suggests that competition for party leadership may intensify within both the Democratic Party and the People Power Party.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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