[Political Spotlight] Ruling Party Chasing Yoon from Residence to Detention Center to Constitutional Court... Potential Candidates Warming Up

Simultaneous Criticism of Investigative and Judicial Institutions
Strengthening the Consolidation of Conservative Supporters
A Different Response to Impeachment Compared to 2017
No Official Acknowledgment of an Early Presidential Election
Presidential Contenders Expand Their Reach

After the 12·3 emergency martial law incident, figures from the People Power Party have been actively defending President Yoon Suk-yeol, reflecting a complex strategic calculation. This political judgment is based on seizing control of the political landscape and responding flexibly to future political changes, such as an early presidential election.

In fact, ruling party lawmakers have been busily moving between Hannam-dong residence, Seoul Detention Center, and the Constitutional Court, targeting investigative and judicial institutions in response to investigations, arrests, and impeachment trials against President Yoon. In the event of an early election phase, there is also a calculation to consolidate conservative supporters who have already rallied, along with anti-Lee Jae-myung public opinion, to prevent handing power over to the opposition party.

President Yoon Suk-yeol is attending the 8th impeachment trial hearing held at the Constitutional Court in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 13th. <2025.2.13 Photo by Joint Press Corps>

On the 13th, Kwon Young-se, the emergency committee chairman of the People Power Party, criticized at an emergency committee meeting held at the National Assembly, saying, "The Constitutional Court is undermining its own legal legitimacy." A noteworthy point is that the People Power Party’s response to impeachment trials has changed compared to the era of former President Park Geun-hye. During the ‘Constitutional Court’s time’ from the National Assembly’s impeachment resolution in December 2016 until March 2017, the party experienced a quagmire of division.

However, this time, the pro-impeachment faction within the party is only a minority, and the party is experiencing a favorable wind in opinion polls due to the consolidation of conservative supporters, so internal fractures are not highlighted. Anti-impeachment lawmakers began voicing opposition to former People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon after the National Assembly passed the impeachment motion, and after taking party leadership, they met with President Yoon and defended the impeachment. After President Yoon was arrested and detained at Seoul Detention Center, requests for visits from People Power Party lawmakers and district committee chairpersons continued.

As visits became difficult due to President Yoon’s trial and impeachment preparation, People Power Party politicians shifted their focus to the Constitutional Court. At the 7th hearing on the 11th, former leader Kim Ki-hyun, along with lawmakers Cho Bae-sook, Jeong Jeom-sik, Koo Ja-geun, and Cho Ji-yeon, attended as observers, and the day before, floor leader Kwon and lawmakers Park Chung-kwon, Yoon Han-hong, Park Seong-hoon, Kwon Seong-dong, Park Soo-min, Park Hyeong-su, Lee Jong-wook, Cho Ji-yeon, and Seo Ji-young visited the Constitutional Court to protest and urge a fair impeachment trial.

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The People Power Party officially does not assume an impeachment or early election scenario. However, internal currents are complex. A People Power Party official said, "Mentioning an early election while trying to highlight the unfairness of impeachment would be taboo," adding, "There is also a sentiment that if there is no minimum preparation, power might be handed over as is."

As the Constitutional Court’s decision becomes imminent, potential ruling party candidates are also warming up. Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon expanded his scope by holding a local decentralization constitutional amendment forum at the National Assembly the day before. At this forum, 48 lawmakers, accounting for 44.4% of all People Power Party members, gathered. Former leader Han Dong-hoon is also preparing to enter the scene with a platform of moderate expansion and generational change. Former Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong and Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo are making remarks that weigh the possibility of President Yoon’s return while closely monitoring political developments.

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