Jang Dong-hyuk Calls for President Yoon to Declare 'No Re-election'

Jang Dong-hyuk, leader of the People Power Party, urged President Yoon Suk Yeol on July 29 to clearly declare that there will be "no re-election" following remarks made by National Assembly Speaker Jung Jin-suk, who stated that the issue of re-election for the sitting president is a matter for the public to decide.

During a press conference at the National Assembly, Jang questioned, "Why can't you say the five words 'there will be no re-election'?" He asserted that Jung's comments were not merely personal opinions, claiming that the pro-Yoon faction within the Democratic Party is fixated on re-election because it is the only way to evade accountability for their alleged crimes.

Jang criticized the recent unilateral passage of measures that he believes undermine constitutional order, including increasing the number of Supreme Court justices and introducing a four-tier judicial system. He emphasized that these actions are criminal acts that should be judged by history, arguing that they are attempts to build a case for Yoon's re-election to escape public condemnation.

He also called on President Yoon to halt all efforts to cancel ongoing trials, warning that if Jung and the Democratic Party attempt to cancel Yoon's trials and push for a re-election constitutional amendment, it would mark the end of their administration.

Regarding the shortage of ballots, Jang insisted that the Special Prosecutor Law must be passed swiftly. He pointed out that while evidence of organized electoral manipulation has emerged, the Election Commission seems to be downplaying the issue, suggesting that it is merely a case of isolated incidents in certain regions. He stated, "If ballot manipulation is possible, then vote count manipulation is also entirely feasible."

Jang expressed suspicion that if such irregularities were found in Gyeonggi and Chungcheong provinces, they could have occurred nationwide. He noted that the public no longer trusts the self-investigation by the Yoon administration, asserting that many citizens are aware that Yoon, the Democratic Party, and the Election Commission are intertwined.

He argued that the investigation into the deprivation of voting rights should be handled independently from the president and the Democratic Party, calling for the opposition to fully control the recommendation of the special prosecutor and for the investigation's scope to be unlimited with sufficient time allocated for it.

Furthermore, he stated, "Instead of pushing through amendments to abolish supplementary investigative powers in tomorrow's plenary session, passing the Special Prosecutor Law should take precedence." He warned that if supplementary investigative powers are abolished without passing the Special Prosecutor Law, it could ultimately lead to the downfall of the administration.