Can the PPP claim moral high ground on free speech?
Published: 18 Dec. 2025, 00:00
Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI
![People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok speaks at a rally near Chuncheon City Hall in Gangwon Province on Nov. 30. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/12/18/97f7674f-339d-4327-8456-038f1287f7ab.jpg)
People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok speaks at a rally near Chuncheon City Hall in Gangwon Province on Nov. 30. [YONHAP]
People Power Party (PPP) leader Jang Dong-hyeok said Tuesday that “one enemy inside is scarier than 50 outside.” The remark underscored his backing of a party audit committee recommendation to suspend former Supreme Council member Kim Jong-hyuk’s party membership for two years over remarks such as saying the conservative party had been “infected with a delusion virus.” Jang argued that taking firm action and uniting the party mattered more than tolerating such behavior. It is worth asking whether branding a sitting local party chair as an “enemy” simply for opposing martial law is normal, or whether silencing internal criticism by force is itself a serious violation of party principles.
Recent developments suggest a troubling regression within the party. The dominant “Yoon Again” faction, which has defended martial law, has stepped up pressure on figures aligned with former party leader Han Dong-hoon, raising doubts about the party’s judgment as a conservative force. The audit committee claimed Kim’s remarks, including his warning that forcing everyone to speak with one voice is “fascistic,” violated party rules. Critics see this as a familiar tactic of seizing on selective wording to suppress dissent.
Audit committee chair Lee Ho-seon went further by citing an Old Testament passage about an owner who fails to restrain an ox that kills people, a pointed reference widely read as aimed at Han. At the same time, Jang Ye-chan, a former youth leader identified with pro-Yoon forces, was appointed deputy director of the party-affiliated Yeouido Institute. Kim Min-soo, a Supreme Council member who has echoed arguments portraying the party as aligned with martial law, was named head of the party’s public communication committee. Even within the party, voices have emerged warning that this marks the end of conservative unity.
Responsibility for this direction lies largely with Jang Dong-hyeok. As party leader, he is expected to broaden the party’s appeal and lead a conservative renewal. Instead, he has failed to draw a clear line against factions that defend martial law and has been unable to manage internal criticism. Jang has spoken of redefining conservative values and even reviewing a possible party name change, but his actions have conveyed hesitation rather than resolve.
The party’s ethical standing was further tested on Dec. 17 when special prosecutors sought a four-year prison sentence and a 100 million ($67,600) won forfeiture against lawmaker Kweon Seong-dong over allegations of receiving illegal political funds from the Unification Church. In such circumstances, believing that a name change alone can restore public trust reflects a shallow reading of reality.
The PPP continues to attack the Democratic Party over what it calls three “gag laws,” casting itself as a defender of free expression. Yet a party that labels internal dissent as an internal enemy and responds with punishment must first ask whether it has the credibility to make that claim. A party that restricts freedom and diversity from within should reflect on whether it can still speak convincingly about democracy.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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