PPP Holds First Street Rally in a Year; DP Slams It as 'Anti-Livelihood Party'

[Anchor]

The People Power Party held a large-scale rally in downtown Seoul today (October 3). As the conservative party ramped up its offensive against the ruling party, alleging "destruction of justice and a security disaster," the Democratic Party fired back, criticizing the PPP for "taking to the streets and abandoning people's livelihoods just to protect a single party leader."

Reporter Kim Jin-u has the details.

[Reporter]

Around 70 lawmakers, including People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok, and party members gathered in front of Sungnyemun Gate in Seoul.

["(Lee Jae-myung, stand trial!) Stand trial! Stand trial! Stand trial!"]

It marks the first time in a year, since September of last year, that the party has taken to the streets to hold an outdoor rally.

Condemning what it described as government misrule, the party characterized the reorganization of the criminal justice system as the destruction of justice and a landmine explosion incident as a security disaster, while also focusing heavily on the trials of President Lee Jae-myung.

[Jang Dong-hyeok / Leader, People Power Party: The moment even a single mention of dropping the charges emerges, the flames of public resistance will burn down the Lee Jae-myung administration, everyone.]

[Jeong Jeom-sig / Floor Leader, People Power Party: They did not say a single word criticizing North Korea. Exactly what kind of leverage does Kim Jong Un have over them?]

However, when Supreme Council member Woo Jae-joon, a non-mainstream figure who has been critical of Jang's leadership, took the stage, hardline party members booed him.

The People Power Party stated that, according to its own estimate, 200,000 people attended the rally.

The Democratic Party rebuked the People Power Party, calling it an "anti-livelihood party" that has abandoned the public's livelihood to take to the streets right before the parliamentary audit, and dismissed the rally, arguing that its true purpose was "a show of force by leader Jang Dong-hyeok" to retain power within the party.

[Shin Hyun-young / Spokesperson, Democratic Party: To prolong the Jang Dong-hyeok leadership, they incited hardline supporters with extreme language and hate speech.]

Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok continued his criticism of People Power Party lawmakers over remarks that "disparaged the May 18 Democratization Movement" and "denied the Chun Doo-hwan insurrection."

[Kim Min-seok / Leader, Democratic Party: We should make sure they cannot enter the National Assembly, which deals with the Constitution and the law, in the first place.]

During the parliamentary audit scheduled to begin next week, the ruling and opposition parties are expected to clash over various contentious issues, including the landmine explosion incident, the recommendation of Supreme Court justices, investment in the United States, and real estate policies.

(Video by Lee Seung-hwan | Video Editing by Nam Il)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.