Jang Dong-hyuk, leader of the People Power Party, is reinforcing his leadership by reorganizing internal structures, including the Task Force for Evaluating Elected Officials and the Special Committee for Strengthening Organization. This move is seen as an effort to consolidate power around the leadership faction, while the opposition faction, which has called for Jang's resignation, appears to lack a viable alternative.
On the 10th, Jang announced the formation of a new Special Committee for Strengthening Organization, appointing Jeong Hee-yong as chair and Gu Ja-geun as vice chair during a party Supreme Council meeting. Additionally, lawmakers Seo Cheon-ho, Kang Myung-gu, and Kim Tae-kyu, along with two local party committee chairs, will join the committee.
The committee is expected to address the vacancies in over 30 local party committees, including in Gangneung, Gangwon Province. However, there are concerns that the reorganization may coincide with the planned re-election of local committee chairs at the end of this month, potentially leading to significant changes, including the replacement of current committee chairs who are serving lawmakers.
In parallel, the second meeting of the Task Force for Evaluating Elected Officials, which includes current lawmakers, is scheduled for the 11th. During the first meeting on July 28, Jang emphasized the need to nominate candidates who dedicate their expertise and abilities to the public and party members, rather than focusing solely on factional politics or internal disputes. A party reform plan is expected to be announced around the 26th, which will likely include measures to reflect party members' opinions in party affairs, aiming to create a member-centered party.
Political analysts suggest that Jang and the leadership faction are using the Special Committee to reorganize local party chairs and the Task Force to reassess current lawmakers. This series of reorganizations is seen as a strategy to promote appointments favoring the leadership faction and strengthen their control within the party.
In this context, the opposition faction, which has opposed the 'Jang Dong-hyuk regime,' is reportedly narrowing its own influence. Recently, lawmaker Kwon Young-jin was involved in a physical altercation with floor leader Jeong Jeom-sik, while lawmaker Seo Beom-soo faced backlash for a gaffe during a parliamentary discussion. The party's ethics committee has initiated disciplinary procedures against these lawmakers.
Some within the People Power Party believe that the faction of reformist lawmakers, known as 'Alternatives and Future,' has lost momentum after publicly demanding Jang's resignation without presenting a 'post-Jang Dong-hyuk' alternative. Jang has managed to withstand calls for his resignation following the local elections, and there is currently no strong justification for renewed demands for his departure. Consequently, the opposition faction is advocating for a shift from a leader-centered to a 'parliament-centered party' to transform into a party that resonates with the public.
Amid these developments, some responsible party members are calling for Jang's resignation, which could introduce variables into the leadership competition. They plan to hold a press conference on the 11th at the National Assembly, urging that Jang's future be decided through a vote by all party members. However, this movement involves about 22,000 responsible party members, a relatively small number compared to the total of approximately 1.1 million members in the People Power Party, making it unlikely to represent a significant force.
On the 10th, Jang announced the formation of a new Special Committee for Strengthening Organization, appointing Jeong Hee-yong as chair and Gu Ja-geun as vice chair during a party Supreme Council meeting. Additionally, lawmakers Seo Cheon-ho, Kang Myung-gu, and Kim Tae-kyu, along with two local party committee chairs, will join the committee.
The committee is expected to address the vacancies in over 30 local party committees, including in Gangneung, Gangwon Province. However, there are concerns that the reorganization may coincide with the planned re-election of local committee chairs at the end of this month, potentially leading to significant changes, including the replacement of current committee chairs who are serving lawmakers.
In parallel, the second meeting of the Task Force for Evaluating Elected Officials, which includes current lawmakers, is scheduled for the 11th. During the first meeting on July 28, Jang emphasized the need to nominate candidates who dedicate their expertise and abilities to the public and party members, rather than focusing solely on factional politics or internal disputes. A party reform plan is expected to be announced around the 26th, which will likely include measures to reflect party members' opinions in party affairs, aiming to create a member-centered party.
Political analysts suggest that Jang and the leadership faction are using the Special Committee to reorganize local party chairs and the Task Force to reassess current lawmakers. This series of reorganizations is seen as a strategy to promote appointments favoring the leadership faction and strengthen their control within the party.
In this context, the opposition faction, which has opposed the 'Jang Dong-hyuk regime,' is reportedly narrowing its own influence. Recently, lawmaker Kwon Young-jin was involved in a physical altercation with floor leader Jeong Jeom-sik, while lawmaker Seo Beom-soo faced backlash for a gaffe during a parliamentary discussion. The party's ethics committee has initiated disciplinary procedures against these lawmakers.
Some within the People Power Party believe that the faction of reformist lawmakers, known as 'Alternatives and Future,' has lost momentum after publicly demanding Jang's resignation without presenting a 'post-Jang Dong-hyuk' alternative. Jang has managed to withstand calls for his resignation following the local elections, and there is currently no strong justification for renewed demands for his departure. Consequently, the opposition faction is advocating for a shift from a leader-centered to a 'parliament-centered party' to transform into a party that resonates with the public.
Amid these developments, some responsible party members are calling for Jang's resignation, which could introduce variables into the leadership competition. They plan to hold a press conference on the 11th at the National Assembly, urging that Jang's future be decided through a vote by all party members. However, this movement involves about 22,000 responsible party members, a relatively small number compared to the total of approximately 1.1 million members in the People Power Party, making it unlikely to represent a significant force.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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