Jang Dong-hyuk, leader of the People Power Party, is set to announce a reform plan aimed at creating a 'party-centered' organization by mid-August, coinciding with his one-year anniversary in office. Meanwhile, former independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon and former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min are emphasizing the importance of 'the people' and 'bottom-up nominations' as a counter to Jang's approach. Concerns have been raised that Jang's focus on consolidating party control may alienate public sentiment.
According to political sources on August 3, Jang is preparing a reform plan centered on party members. Chief Spokesperson Choi Bo-yun stated the day before, 'Jang plans to reveal his vision for the party around Liberation Day, and he is currently in the stage of conceptualizing how to operate the party.'
Having consistently advocated for a party-centered approach, Jang is expected to increase the influence of party members in the nomination process. During the first meeting of the 'Elected Officials Evaluation Innovation Task Force' on July 28, Jang stated, 'The opinions of party members must be significantly reflected in the evaluation process of public officials.' He is also enhancing his control over the party by operating a special committee for organizational strengthening and conducting party audits.
Political commentator Park Sang-byeong remarked in a phone interview with Aju Economy that 'the People Power Party is already a party-centered organization,' adding, 'While the Democratic Party moves in tandem with its members and the public, the People Power Party is going in the opposite direction.' He criticized Jang's preparation of the reform plan as a strategy to obscure genuine reform, suggesting it is a facade to solidify the position of the party leadership.
Meanwhile, Han and Yoo are advocating for broader outreach and public sentiment reflection in the nomination process to secure victory in the upcoming general elections. They argue that Jang's focus on rallying hardline supporters neglects the need to actively engage moderate voters.
Han proposed 'bottom-up nominations,' stating, 'The nomination rights should be returned to the people, not the party leader.' He expressed concerns on Facebook on August 1, saying, 'If one can seize party leadership regardless of public sentiment, it leads to arbitrary nominations that can dismiss even popular politicians. This fear has resulted in a 'zombie politics' where rational politicians succumb to extreme and irrational factions, damaging both parties.'
Yoo emphasized the need for integration and innovation to expand the moderate voter base, stating, 'To win the general elections, the People Power Party must pursue a path of integration and innovation. Without uniting and innovating to win the hearts of moderates and conservatives, there is no hope for the next general election or presidential election.'
* This article has been translated by AI.
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