Jang Donghyuk, leader of the People Power Party, and lawmaker Bae Hyunjin are listening attentively to remarks by Song Eonseok, the party's floor leader, at a lawmakers' meeting held at the National Assembly on Feb. 23, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News

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The People Power Party, embroiled in an internal debate over "Jeol-yoon (Cutting Ties with Yoon)" - meaning a complete break with former President Yoon Suk Yeol - held a party caucus on February 23 to discuss the party's future course, but failed to reach any meaningful conclusion. Roughly half of its lawmakers did not attend, and most of the time was instead devoted to discussions on changing the party name, revising the party constitution and rules, and the proposed administrative integration of Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province, the party's traditional stronghold. Some lawmakers pushed back, calling it "a kind of defusing operation" and complaining that "the whole country is in a state of emergency, yet we're only talking about something else."

The People Power Party held the caucus at the National Assembly for about three hours starting around 10:30 a.m. on the 23rd. This was the first caucus convened since party leader Jang Donghyeok sparked backlash both inside and outside the party on February 22 by responding to the court's first-instance sentence of life imprisonment for former President Yoon Suk Yeol by saying, "It is still only a first trial." At the caucus, a wide-ranging debate took place, covering pending issues such as the party name, party constitution and rules, and the Daegu–North Gyeongsang administrative integration, as well as Jang's refusal to declare a break with Yoon.

Song Eonseok, Floor Leader of the People Power Party, is speaking at a party meeting held at the National Assembly on Feb. 23, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News

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At the caucus, some senior lawmakers stepped forward to raise the issue of the leadership's responsibility. Representative Cho Kyungtae said, "I stated that unless we cut ties with Yoon Suk Yeol, who is the ringleader of an insurrection, our party will suffer a crushing defeat, and asked why we have to be the burial attendants for the former president," adding, "Local elections are becoming difficult nationwide, and if Representative Jang is not confident he can properly lead the party, I believe it is right for him to step down on his own."

By contrast, senior lawmakers close to the pro-leadership camp moved to shield him. Representative Yoon Sanghyun, a five-term lawmaker who wrote a "confession" about his own political course, said, "You cannot replace a general in the middle of a war," and added, "When it comes to tying up loose ends and leading the party into an election mode, it is, after all, the leadership under party leader Jang Donghyeok that is capable of doing so." Representative Na Kyungwon also said, "Rather than fueling internal conflict, it is right to intensify our fight against the ruling party," and argued, "In a way, 'cutting ties with Yoon' also means falling into the ruling party's framing."

People Power Party leader Jang Donghyuk closed his eyes and listened intently to Floor Leader Song Eonseok's remarks during a party caucus held at the National Assembly on Feb. 23, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News

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Jang was reported to have presented at the caucus the results of a private opinion poll indicating that about 75% of party members responded that the party should stay aligned with former President Yoon. Representative Lee Seongkwon, who serves as secretary for the internal junior lawmakers' group "Alternative and Future," said, "Elections are a 51-to-49 fight, and public sentiment is measured through opinion polls of the general public," adding, "I suggested to Representative Jang that we bring together experts from the Yeouido Institute and polling specialists and at least hold a public debate."

Park Juntae, chief of staff to the party leader, explained about this private poll by saying, "The survey in question asked our support base about the first-instance ruling against former President Yoon," and added, "Representative Jang was trying to convey that, contrary to concerns or misunderstandings that decisions are being made while being swayed by a small group of (extreme) supporters, he has been making decisions by thoroughly taking into account all opinion polls."

Representative Jang Donghyeok and People Power Party lawmakers salute the national flag at a party meeting held at the National Assembly on Feb. 23, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News

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However, the caucus, which many had expected would see heated clashes over cutting ties with Yoon, ended without major conflict or any notable conclusion. For more than two hours after it opened, discussions centered mainly on the party name and the party constitution and rules. Attendance also barely exceeded half of the party's 107 seats. Even that number dwindled as time passed, and by the final stage only about 30 lawmakers were reportedly left in the caucus room.

Some lawmakers voiced dissatisfaction. They argued that the floor leadership was trying to dodge the controversy over cutting ties with Yoon and simply run out the clock. Representative Cho Kyungtae said, "I wonder if this is not a kind of operation to let off steam," while Representative Bae Hyunjin, considered close to the pro-Yoon camp, also said, "The whole country is in an emergency right now, so I do not understand why we spent nearly two hours talking only about Yeongnam."

Jang Donghyuk, leader of the People Power Party, is entering a meeting of party lawmakers at the National Assembly on Feb. 23, 2026, looking at Song Eonseok, the floor leader, and Yoo Sangbeom, the Senior Deputy Floor Leader for Parliamentary Operations. Yonhap News

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Representative Han Jia said, "I cannot help but think that the very act of setting up the order of proceedings (for the caucus) this way, without first discussing the fundamental question of where our party should be heading, was intentional," and added, "I express my regret over the order in which the caucus was conducted."

Representative Cho Eunhee criticized the meeting as a "muzzled caucus," and then used social media to propose a vote by all party members and a secret ballot among lawmakers. She said, "Let us ask the lawmakers and all party members what line the party should take in order to win the election," adding, "What we should fear is not change, but being shunned by the public."