PPP Concludes Outdoor Rallies and Filibuster, Contemplating Strategy Amid Limitations

Filibuster Over Contentious Bills to End with Testimony Act Passage
Outdoor Protests in Daegu and Seoul Also Conclude
Party Contemplates Strategy After the Holiday
Focus Likely to Shift to Attacks on Lee Administration Inside the Assembly for Now

The People Power Party is concluding its all-out struggle, both inside and outside the National Assembly, on September 29. The first outdoor rally in six years failed to gain public support, and the filibuster (unlimited debate) inside the Assembly only resulted in delaying the passage of contentious bills. With the Chuseok holiday approaching and having only confirmed the limits of their protest tactics, the party is now contemplating its future strategy.

Around 8:30 p.m. on this day, the amendment to the Act on Testimony and Appraisal at the National Assembly is expected to pass the Assembly. When the bill was submitted the previous day, the People Power Party, led by Assemblywoman Kim Eunhye, began a filibuster, and the Democratic Party immediately submitted a motion to end it. According to the National Assembly Act, a filibuster can be ended 24 hours after at least one-third of the members submit a motion for closure, with the approval of at least three-fifths of all members.

Kim Eunhye, a member of the People Power Party, is conducting an unlimited debate (filibuster) on the "Partial Amendment to the Act on Testimony, Appraisal, etc. in the National Assembly (Alternative)" at the plenary session of the National Assembly on the 29th. The plenary session, which opened on the 25th, has been ongoing for the fifth day as the People Power Party's filibuster on the bills under review continues. September 29, 2025 Photo by Kim Hyunmin

Once the amendment to the Act on Testimony and Appraisal passes the plenary session, the filibuster phase over contentious bills will come to an end. Since September 25, the Democratic Party has submitted the following bills as priorities for plenary consideration: the amendment to the Government Organization Act, the bill to establish the Broadcasting and Media Communications Committee, and the amendment to the National Assembly Act, including the Act on Testimony and Appraisal. The People Power Party resisted through filibusters. As a result, the passage of the bills was delayed, but they were unable to block the bills entirely or ignite broader public debate.

The party's outdoor protests have also reached a turning point. The People Power Party is concluding its outdoor campaign with the rally held in Daegu on September 21 and the "National Rally Against Judicial Destruction and Legislative Dictatorship" near Seoul City Hall on September 28. A party leadership official stated, "With the Chuseok holiday imminent and the National Assembly audit scheduled, there are no further outdoor events planned. However, we will continue activities opposing the Lee Jaemyung administration."

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The party raised its voice in the public square, criticizing the Korea-US tariff negotiations and the ruling bloc's demand for the Chief Justice's resignation, but this too revealed its limitations. According to police estimates, the number of supporters gathered in Daegu and Seoul was about 20,000 and 10,000, respectively (the party's own estimates were 70,000 and 150,000). The message focused on "blocking Lee Jaemyung's dictatorship." However, except for the hardline supporters, the party failed to persuade moderates, leading to skepticism even within the party. An Assemblyman representing Busan lamented, "The message of blocking Lee Jaemyung is unlikely to appeal to moderates, let alone become a topic at the Chuseok dinner table. With the holiday approaching, it is more urgent to focus on each constituency."

The party's approval rating has stagnated. According to a Realmeter poll released on this day, the People Power Party's approval rating fell by 0.3 percentage points from the previous week to 38.3%. Analysts believe that the hardline offensive has had a negative impact on younger voters.

Ultimately, the People Power Party is entering the holiday having only confirmed the limits of its protest tactics. After the Chuseok holiday, the National Assembly will begin its audit of government affairs, making it difficult for the party to continue its all-out struggle. The People Power Party plans to focus its attacks on the Lee Jaemyung administration within the Assembly. In the morning, the newly established "Special Committee for Responding to the Lee Jaemyung Administration's Incompetent Diplomacy and National Dignity Crisis" will hold its first meeting to address issues such as the Korea-US tariff negotiations and the detention of Koreans in Georgia, United States. In the afternoon, a policy caucus will be held to urge the resumption of President Lee's trial. On September 26, Kim Doup, the party's Policy Committee Chair, stated, "We will hold a policy caucus to explain to the public why the Supreme Court's decision to remand Lee Jaemyung's case for a guilty verdict was justified and why his trial should resume."

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