[Anchor]

Pressure is mounting within the People Power Party for Representative Jang Dong-hyuk to step down. Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon has fueled calls for his resignation by questioning whether a party leader is even necessary, while Floor Leader Jeong Jeom-sik has been holding a series of meetings with senior lawmakers. Representative Jang, who was discharged from the hospital yesterday (June 24), rejected calls for his resignation, stating that his future is a matter for the party members to decide.

Reporter Kim Bo-mi has the story.

[Reporter]

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon delivered a lecture on "Restoring Conservative Values" yesterday morning at the National Assembly Future Innovation Forum, which is led by People Power Party lawmakers.

The event was attended by 28 lawmakers—more than a quarter of the party—including Floor Leader Jeong Jeom-sik, as well as members from the former pro-Yoon faction, the reformist faction, and the pro-Han Dong-hoon faction.

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

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

Regarding the issue of Representative Jang's future, Oh expressed agreement with Floor Leader Jeong's recent media interview, in which Jeong stated that "rushing things too much could lead to greater difficulties," and added 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 yesterday, also stated, "The controversy over Representative Jang's resignation must be put to rest before February of next year for the party to regain stability quickly."

Representative Jang Dong-hyuk held a press conference yesterday upon his discharge from the hospital after six days of treatment. He rejected calls for his resignation, asserting that now is the time to focus on introducing a special counsel and demanding a re-election regarding the shortage of ballot papers.

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

Characterizing the demands for his resignation as an attempt to "destabilize the party," Representative Jang warned that he would establish party discipline, fueling speculation that he might respond with measures such as party audits.

(Reported by Lee Seung-hwan and Shin Dong-hwan | Video edited by Park Sun-soo)