Oh Se-hoon Questions Necessity of Party Leader; Jang Dong-hyuk Says "Party Members Will Decide My Fate"

[Anchor]

In the People Power Party, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon has lent weight to calls for the resignation of Party Leader Jang Dong-hyuk, questioning whether the position of party leader is even necessary. Party Leader Jang, who was discharged from the hospital after six days, refuted the calls for his resignation, stating that his future is a matter for the party members to decide.

Report by Kim Bo-mi.
 
[Reporter]

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon gave a lecture on the "restoration of conservative values" at the National Assembly Future Innovation Forum, which is led by People Power Party lawmakers, on the morning of Wednesday, June 24.

Twenty-eight lawmakers, accounting for more than a quarter of the People Power Party, attended the event, including Floor Leader Jeong Jeom-sik, as well as members ranging from the former pro-Yoon faction and reformist group to the pro-Han Dong-hoon faction.

Mayor Oh, who had been at odds with Party Leader Jang throughout the local elections, proposed the "abolition of the party leader position," arguing that the floor leader should be the center of the party, as is the case in the United States.

[Oh Se-hoon/Mayor of Seoul: Is a party leader even necessary? We must change into a party centered on the floor leader. That is how unnecessary conflict can be minimized...]

Regarding the issue of Party Leader Jang's future, Oh stated he agreed with Floor Leader Jeong's recent media interview, in which Jeong said that "rushing things too much will only make them more difficult," adding that "it is time for senior lawmakers to play a role."

Floor Leader Jeong, who has been meeting with senior lawmakers daily, including a luncheon with four-term lawmakers on Wednesday, also remarked, "The controversy over Party Leader Jang's resignation must be put to rest before February of next year for the party to quickly regain stability."

Party Leader Jang Dong-hyuk held a press conference upon his discharge from the hospital on Wednesday after six days. He rejected calls for his resignation, stating that now is the time to focus on introducing a special counsel regarding the ballot shortage crisis and demanding a re-election.

[Jang Dong-hyuk/Leader of the People Power Party: The future of the party leader is also a matter for the party members to decide. It is certainly not a matter for a few lawmakers to decide.]

Jang characterized the demands for his resignation as an attempt to "shake the party" and issued a warning that he would establish party discipline, fueling speculation that he might respond with measures such as internal party audits.

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