South Korea’s Democratic Party (DP) floor leader Park Chan-dae on April 7 said in a party meeting that the upcoming presidential by-election will come with a significant cost, adding, “The People Power Party (PPP), which caused this situation, has no right to field a presidential candidate.” During the same meeting, lawmaker Jeon Hyun-heui argued, “There are already more than enough reasons to dissolve the People Power Party as an unconstitutional party,” while Rep. Lee Un-ju demanded the expulsion of former President Yoon Suk-yeol, comparing the situation to the disbanded Unified Progressive Party (UPP). But in a recent Gallup Korea poll, 33% of respondents said they support the People Power Party. Is it reasonable to compare a party backed by one in three South Koreans to a pro-North party that was disbanded?
Park also said that Yoon should be investigated and charged for violating election laws, including allegations of illegal polling involving Myung Tae-kyun. “If Yoon’s win is ruled invalid, the People Power Party would have to return 39.7 billion won in campaign funds,” he claimed. This is the same Democratic Party that not long ago strongly opposed court involvement in politics, especially when its own leader Lee Jae-myung was at risk of losing his seat. The party also urged prosecutors to reopen investigations into Yoon and his wife Kim Keon-hee. At the same time, it asked Acting President Han Duck-soo to appoint constitutional court nominee Ma Eun-hyuk, while calling for a freeze on all other top government and public agency appointments until a new administration takes office. To many voters, the Democratic Party may appear to be acting like an occupying force, as if it has won the presidential election.
The People Power Party also seems out of touch with public sentiment. Interim leader Kwon Young-se said any actions that hurt the party during the election would be met with “harsh punishment.” His comment likely came after PPP lawmaker Kim Sang-wook proposed declaring the day of Yoon’s removal as “Democracy Day,” which angered pro-Yoon members and sparked calls for discipline. Both sides may have reasons, but is the party really in a position to be divided into pro-Yoon and anti-Yoon factions, unable to accommodate differing views?
To contain the infighting, former President Yoon himself must refrain from political activity. His declaration of martial law caused nationwide chaos and left the public bearing immense tangible and intangible costs. That crisis led to his impeachment and an early election. With so much already weighing on the public, Yoon’s appearance of engaging in behind-the-scenes politics from his private residence will upset many voters, and it will not help the party.
