Jeon Hansik, a former Korean history instructor, is attending a rally urging the abolition of early voting and the guarantee of fair elections held in front of the Central Election Commission in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, last May. Photo by Yonhap News

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The People Power Party, which had pledged innovation, is once again falling into the far-right and insurrection frame just one month before its party convention. Following the admission of Jeon Hansik, who advocates election fraud theories, and the release of former President Yoon Sukyeol's "message from prison," the internal party discourse is increasingly dominated by a pro- and anti-impeachment divide. As even the general assembly?intended to coordinate differing opinions?has been repeatedly postponed, the momentum for innovation is fading and internal conflict is deepening.

According to political circles on July 22, controversy over the party's rightward shift, particularly surrounding "Yoon Again," is spreading within the People Power Party. The conflict among party leader candidates has intensified, especially over whether to embrace supporters of former President Yoon following Jeon's admission to the party. Jang Donghyuk, a lawmaker backed by pro-Yoon (pro-Yoon Sukyeol) factions, stated, "We can no longer tolerate those within the party who supported impeachment." However, Han Donghoon, Ahn Cheolsoo, Cho Kyungtae, and other pro-impeachment figures maintain that the party must break with insurrection and martial law forces.

Former President Yoon Sukyeol is heading to Seoul Detention Center after completing the second pre-arrest suspect hearing (warrant review) held at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul on July 9, 2025. Photo by Joint Press Corps

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Adding fuel to the fire, former President Yoon Sukyeol issued a message the previous day, stating, "Whether martial law was the right decision is ultimately for history to judge." He also described the special prosecutor's investigation as "utterly nonsensical political persecution," and added, "I trust the people of Korea, as sovereign citizens, will defend the nation's liberal democracy." This is interpreted as an attempt to rally his supporters ahead of the special prosecutor's investigation and the People Power Party's convention.

With Jeon Hansik declaring his intention to "revive the broken People Power Party" and to exert influence at the party convention scheduled for August 22, the involvement of former President Yoon is expected to further intensify factional strife. Kim Yongtae, a former emergency committee chair, wrote on his social media (Facebook) that day, "To hold the party convention as a contest between reform and anti-reform, or between far-right and anti-far-right, is already a recipe for division and defeat," emphasizing, "'Yoon Again' falls outside the diversity and tolerance expected of a liberal democratic party."

Yonhap News

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Meanwhile, the general assembly originally scheduled for July 20 has been continuously postponed. Although the official reason is to support recovery efforts from heavy rain and flood damage, some suggest that the party leadership is deliberately avoiding discussions on the party's rightward shift and innovation proposals. Park Sunghoon, chief spokesperson for the People Power Party, told reporters the previous day that the timing of the general assembly would be "determined comprehensively, taking into account the status of flood recovery efforts," and added, "It could be as soon as after the 23rd."

There is also criticism that the innovation committee has lost momentum as discussions on the innovation proposals presented by committee chair Yoon Heesook have been delayed. A senior People Power Party lawmaker commented on Yoon's proposals?including codifying an official apology in the party constitution and regulations, and demanding statements of intent from four key figures such as Song Eonseok, the emergency committee chair and floor leader?saying, "Taking action at this point feels awkward and artificial." Another party official said, "With the convention scheduled for next month, it is realistically difficult for the innovation proposals to be adopted," and added, "It is highly likely that the discussion on innovation will be passed on to the next leadership."