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South Korean Party Member Demands Leadership Resign After Election Loss
🇰🇷 South Korea /Elections & Politics

South Korean Party Member Demands Leadership Resign After Election Loss

From Dong-A Ilbo · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • A senior member of South Korea's People Power Party, Yang Hyang-ja, called for the party leadership to resign following a local election defeat.
  • She described the current leadership as a "zombie leadership" lacking vision and clinging to vested interests.
  • Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk rejected the call, emphasizing the need to focus on public demands regarding election irregularities.

Tensions flared within South Korea's People Power Party as senior member Yang Hyang-ja publicly demanded the resignation of the party's leadership following a significant defeat in the June 3 local elections. Yang characterized the current leadership as a "zombie leadership," arguing it lacks a clear philosophy, vision, or direction necessary to lead the conservative party into the future.

Politics is ultimately about responsibility. A leader is a person who takes responsibility. The role of the party leadership is to take responsibility for the results.

— Yang Hyang-jaJustifying her call for the party leadership's resignation.

During a supreme council meeting on June 15, Yang stated, "Politics is ultimately about responsibility. A leader is a person who takes responsibility. The role of the party leadership is to take responsibility for the results." She expressed concern that the public perceives the leadership as evading accountability and clinging to power for political advantage. "I propose a total resignation of the leadership," Yang declared, urging them to step aside quickly to allow a new leadership to guide the party.

I propose a total resignation of the leadership.

— Yang Hyang-jaDirectly calling for the party leadership to step down.

Her call was met with strong opposition from within the party. Supreme Council member Cho Gwang-han dismissed Yang's remarks as "childish" and repetitive, accusing her of making demands without proper justification. Cho pointed to the election results as an improvement compared to 2018 and noted a rise in party approval ratings, questioning the basis for a leadership overhaul. He criticized such arguments as self-serving and lacking political logic.

Calling the People Power Party leadership zombies is an insult to the citizens who have given us their support.

— Jang Dong-hyukResponding to Yang Hyang-ja's criticism of the leadership.

Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk firmly rejected Yang's resignation demand. He stated that calling the leadership "zombies" insults the party's supporters. Jang emphasized that the party's immediate focus should be on addressing public concerns about election irregularities, including demanding a special prosecutor. "Can you imagine what will happen during the vacuum period if the leadership resigns entirely? Who will fight this battle over the ballots?" Jang asked, urging members to concentrate on the voices of citizens demanding action.

Can you imagine what will happen during the vacuum period if the leadership resigns entirely? Who will fight this battle over the ballots?

— Jang Dong-hyukQuestioning the practical implications of a leadership resignation.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Dong-A Ilbo in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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