Kim Minsu, Supreme Council member of the People Power Party, is speaking at a Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 8th of last month. Yonhap News

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The People Power Party, already mired in internal strife over the expulsion of former leader Han Donghoon, is now grappling with how to position itself in relation to its hardline support base. With the 9th nationwide local elections on June 3 fast approaching, expanding its appeal beyond its core supporters is urgent, but the so?called "Yoon Again" faction has become a key source of concern. Given that this faction accounts for a significant share of the People Power Party's supporters, a clean break will not be easy.

Kim Minsu, Supreme Council member of the People Power Party, attended a debate hosted by conservative YouTubers on Feb. 9, 2026, and said, "The approval rating that rose to 52% at the time of the impeachment is now falling as you continue to chant 'Yoon Again,'" adding, "If we could have won with only our own rallying cries, former President Yoon Sukyeol would not have been impeached. Please look at this with a long-term perspective."

Jang Donghyuk, leader of the People Power Party, is entering a conference room at the National Assembly on the 13th of last month to meet Lee Junseok, leader of the Reform New Party. 2026.1.13 Photo by Kim Hyunmin

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His remarks hinted at the need to broaden the party's base for electoral purposes. According to a Korea Gallup poll conducted from Feb. 3 to 5, 2026 (nationwide survey of 1,001 adults via telephone interviews, margin of error of ±3.1 percentage points at the 95% confidence level, response rate 12.2%), support for the People Power Party among moderates stands at only 17%.

Shin Dongwook, Senior Supreme Council member of the People Power Party, appeared on SBS the same day and said, "With four months left until the election, there is a consensus that we must now work to win over the moderate camp." Kim Yongtae, a People Power Party lawmaker from the non-leadership faction, also said that day, "As the election approaches, people are finally speaking their minds," adding, "'Yoon Again' means certain defeat." However, it remains uncertain whether the People Power Party will be able to persuade its hardline base and move to broaden its appeal. The Feb. 19, 2026, first-instance verdict in former President Yoon's sedition trial could serve as a barometer. Park Jungha, a People Power Party lawmaker, appeared on MBC that day and assessed, "It seems the leadership is trying to shield itself while muddling through the demands of the 'Yoon Again' faction."

Jang Donghyuk, leader of the People Power Party, and lawmaker Bae Hyunjin attended the plenary session at the National Assembly on Feb. 9 and were seen talking. The People Power Party Central Ethics Committee is reported to have initiated disciplinary proceedings against lawmaker Bae Hyunjin. 2026.2.9 Photo by Kim Hyunmin

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Meanwhile, aftershocks from the party's internal conflict continue. "Alternative and Future," a group of junior lawmakers, demanded that a general meeting of lawmakers be convened, criticizing the People Power Party leadership's decision to have the central party oversee nominations for heads of basic local governments in municipalities with populations of 500,000 or more as a "rollback of intra?party democracy."