[Column] People Power Party's 'Festival Ground' Crossing the Line

People Power Party's 69-Day National Convention Journey
Supporters Divided Amid Fierce Rivalry Among Candidates
Mature Civic Consciousness Needed on the Final Day

"Our election commission will do its best to ensure that the party convention ends in a festive atmosphere."

This was a statement made when Yoo Heung-soo, the election commission chairman for the People Power Party's March 8 party convention, was appointed on December 29 last year. Chairman Yoo, along with the candidates and party leadership, likened this convention to a 'festival,' but the reality was different. From the first joint speech held in Jeju on the 13th of last month to the broadcast debates and social network services (SNS), the moment candidates opened their mouths, the festival ended and a 'field of criticism' began.

As the convention approached, the baseless criticism intensified. Candidate Ahn Cheol-soo targeted candidate Kim Ki-hyun at the Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam speeches, calling him "a candidate who tries to lean on and ride on someone else without his own vision." This was a sarcastic remark implying that Kim was a candidate backed by the so-called 'Yoonism,' the will of President Yoon Seok-yeol. Candidate Kim directly hit back at candidate Hwang Kyo-ahn, who raised suspicions about 'Ulsan land' during a TV debate, saying, "It is because of such judgment that we suffered a crushing defeat in the general election three years ago." Candidate Hwang mocked candidate Ahn in Daejeon, calling him "a cuckoo candidate. Every party he creates ends up ruined." Candidate Chun Ha-ram referred to the so-called 'Yoon core officials (Yoon Seok-yeol's key associates)' as "traitors."

This overheated atmosphere was directly transferred to party members. Throughout the joint speech venues, placards were displayed with the names of candidates Chun Ha-ram, Kim Yong-tae, Heo Eun-ah, and Lee Ki-in, who are close to former leader Lee Jun-seok, with slogans such as "If the traitors get elected, 100 Lee Jun-seoks will appear." Some hand-held signs even contained vulgar language like "Chun-chikXX, HeoXXX apologize and resign." At the Goyang Gymnasium in Gyeonggi Province, where the final speech was held, boos such as "Get down" and "Go away" rained down during candidates' speeches. After the candidates finished speaking, supporters would leave the venue like a receding tide, a scene repeated at every speech event.

The People Power Party's convention is now just one day away. The voter turnout among party members has already surpassed 50%, setting a record high. The venue was changed from the SK Olympic Handball Gymnasium, which originally could accommodate about 5,000 people, to the Gyeonggi KINTEX, which can hold 10,000, reflecting the intense enthusiasm. President Yoon will also attend the convention. It is hoped that the final journey to elect the new leadership will become a festival imbued with mature civic consciousness, instead of embarrassing placards and boos.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.