"Resign or Be Called a Loser," "You're Unpopular Yourself"... Heated Clashes Erupt

[Anchor]

At the People Power Party's general meeting of lawmakers held today (June 17), voices calling for the resignation of leader Jang Dong-hyuk, holding him accountable for the defeat in the June 3 local elections, emerged one after another. The pro-leadership and non-mainstream factions clashed, exchanging raw and personal criticisms.

Reporter Son Hyeong-an has the story.

[Reporter]

This was the first general meeting of People Power Party lawmakers since Floor Leader Jeong Jeom-sik took office on the 10th.

Discord erupted from the very beginning.

Pro-leadership and non-mainstream lawmakers bickered over whether to hold the meeting behind closed doors.

[Song Seok-jun / People Power Party Lawmaker: (Our party) is trapped in a lack of communication. Isn't that how we ended up in this worst possible state?]

[Kang Seung-kyu / People Power Party Lawmaker: Who are you calling the worst!]

It is reported that during the closed-door session, lawmaker Lee Jong-bae, who has a neutral stance, along with lawmakers Kwon Young-jin and Song Seok-jun, who are considered part of the "reformist faction," demanded the resignation of leader Jang Dong-hyuk.

[Song Seok-jun / People Power Party Lawmaker: I warned that if he does not resign, he will not be able to avoid being called a 'loser,' just like a certain party leader in the past.]

When lawmaker Park Hyeong-soo, whose district is in the Daegu-Gyeongbuk (TK) region, urged leader Jang to make a decision, stating, "We cannot fight the next general election with a dull knife," it was noted that several lawmakers applauded.

On the other hand, four-term lawmaker Park Dae-chul, two-term lawmaker Kang Seung-kyu, and first-term lawmaker Lee Jin-sook reportedly opposed the resignation and defended leader Jang.

Lawmaker Park Jun-tae, chief of staff to leader Jang, took a jab at the "Alternatives and Future" group—a gathering of young reformist lawmakers—by calling them "a future without alternatives."

[Park Jun-tae / People Power Party Lawmaker: They are saying the party leader should resign because he is unpopular. Some of those who argue that way are quite unpopular in their own districts.]

The People Power Party is scheduled to hold another general meeting of lawmakers tomorrow before the plenary session of the National Assembly, and the confrontation between the two sides is expected to intensify.

(Video reporting: Lee Seung-hwan, Shin Dong-hwan | Video editing: Lee Seung-hee)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.