During a Supreme Council meeting of the People Power Party on October 15, a public clash erupted among council members regarding the recent direct election of committee chairs.
Supreme Council member Yang Hyang-ja stated, "We need to conduct a full investigation of the entire election and hold a complete re-election. Can simply redoing the runoff in Yongin Gap resolve the situation?" She added, "To avoid any conflict of interest, I will not participate in the (Yongin Gap) election."
Yang had previously run for the Yongin Gap committee chair but lost to candidate Yoon Jae-bok in the runoff. However, it was confirmed that some party members did not receive automated response system (ARS) voting calls due to issues with the telecom company. In response, party leader Jang Dong-hyuk and the party's special committee on organizational strengthening decided to hold a re-vote for the runoff.
Yang continued, "Reports are still coming in that ARS calls did not go out. This is not just an issue in Yongin Gap but in other regions as well. If we apply the 'Olympic Park principle' to this situation, we should clarify the entire election process and start over from the beginning."
In response, Secretary General Jeong Hee-yong countered, "When the special committee suggested a re-vote, didn’t we agree to make the results public and not raise any objections? What errors are being mentioned now? Is it appropriate for a Supreme Council member to make statements that undermine the party's structure?"
As tensions rose, Policy Committee Chair Im I-ja attempted to mediate, stating, "Technical errors with telecom systems can happen in any party. Statements suggesting that the leadership made a mistake are not helpful," while also urging a thorough investigation into the telecom issues within the party.
The heated atmosphere from the public meeting continued into a closed session, where it was reported that some council members exchanged raised voices.
After the closed meeting, Jeong told reporters, "We provided a technical explanation that the issue was due to the telecom company's ad-blocking technology, and they confirmed that there were no restrictions during the first round of voting."
Yang also spoke with reporters, saying, "I accept the (election) results, but we must address the issues. I believe this has become an opportunity to reorganize the system ahead of the general election."
Supreme Council member Yang Hyang-ja stated, "We need to conduct a full investigation of the entire election and hold a complete re-election. Can simply redoing the runoff in Yongin Gap resolve the situation?" She added, "To avoid any conflict of interest, I will not participate in the (Yongin Gap) election."
Yang had previously run for the Yongin Gap committee chair but lost to candidate Yoon Jae-bok in the runoff. However, it was confirmed that some party members did not receive automated response system (ARS) voting calls due to issues with the telecom company. In response, party leader Jang Dong-hyuk and the party's special committee on organizational strengthening decided to hold a re-vote for the runoff.
Yang continued, "Reports are still coming in that ARS calls did not go out. This is not just an issue in Yongin Gap but in other regions as well. If we apply the 'Olympic Park principle' to this situation, we should clarify the entire election process and start over from the beginning."
In response, Secretary General Jeong Hee-yong countered, "When the special committee suggested a re-vote, didn’t we agree to make the results public and not raise any objections? What errors are being mentioned now? Is it appropriate for a Supreme Council member to make statements that undermine the party's structure?"
As tensions rose, Policy Committee Chair Im I-ja attempted to mediate, stating, "Technical errors with telecom systems can happen in any party. Statements suggesting that the leadership made a mistake are not helpful," while also urging a thorough investigation into the telecom issues within the party.
The heated atmosphere from the public meeting continued into a closed session, where it was reported that some council members exchanged raised voices.
After the closed meeting, Jeong told reporters, "We provided a technical explanation that the issue was due to the telecom company's ad-blocking technology, and they confirmed that there were no restrictions during the first round of voting."
Yang also spoke with reporters, saying, "I accept the (election) results, but we must address the issues. I believe this has become an opportunity to reorganize the system ahead of the general election."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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