Jang Dong-hyeok Pushes for Consolidation, Warns Local Party Chiefs Failing to Fight Back Will Be Replaced

[Anchor]

People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok has announced that local party chapter chairs who fail to properly confront the ruling party will be replaced. Backlash is brewing within the party, with critics claiming this is a move to weed out opposition factions, including pro-Han Dong-hoon members.

Reporter Park Chan-beom has more.

[Reporter]

People Power Party Leader Jang Dong-hyeok, whose one-year anniversary in office falls at the end of this month, hinted yesterday (August 12) at a generational shift and reshuffle of local party chapter heads.

[Jang Dong-hyeok / People Power Party Leader (Maeil Shinmun YouTube "Lee Dong-jae's News Cabinet"): If those who have not fought hard enough and properly (against the Democratic Party) become candidates in the next general election again, we will have no choice but to lose.]

He is signaling that chapter chairs showing sluggishness in the struggle against the opposition will be replaced.

A source close to Leader Jang told SBS that "personnel renewal is reform itself" and that the process will be completed by the end of the year.

A local party chapter chair is the abbreviation for the steering committee chair of the party member association. There is one for each parliamentary constituency, and they oversee local organizations.

Incumbent lawmakers customarily serve as chairs, but there are also many chairs who are not lawmakers.

The terms for the People Power Party chairs expire at the end of August in even-numbered years, and the remarks suggest that some will be replaced through party member votes rather than being retained.

Analyses suggest that Leader Jang's reshuffle policy targets both internal and external chapter chairs from opposing factions, including pro-Han Dong-hoon members.

It is also interpreted as a strategic move to block public opinion favoring the reinstatement of independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon.

[Song Seok-jun / People Power Party Lawmaker (The day before yesterday, National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee): Many people probably hope that you will not remain an independent, respected former Chairman Han Dong-hoon.]

Meanwhile, People Power Party lawmaker Ahn Chol-soo raised tensions within the party against the pro-Han faction, stating that "activist-turned figures seeking reinstatement must be eradicated."

[Ahn Chol-soo / People Power Party Lawmaker: People who serve specific individuals outside the party and divide the party should be excluded from qualification for support in the next general election.]

In response, pro-Han lawmaker Han Ji-a hit back, urging the leadership to "aim for integration rather than exclusion."

Some responsible party members of the People Power Party are engaged in a "petition showdown."

After party members opposed to Leader Jang announced that 27,000 party members and citizens joined a signature campaign demanding his resignation, Leader Jang's fan cafe announced plans to issue a statement of support backed by 30,000 participants.

With one year remaining until his term ends, Leader Jang has rejected calls for an early resignation, stating, "A vote of confidence or an early national convention is not being considered at all."

(Photo: Yonhap News / Video reporting: Lee Seung-hwan, Shin Dong-hwan | Video editing: Lee Seung-jin | Design: Park Taeyoung)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.