Now the PPP is really worrying voters
Published: 23 Mar. 2026, 00:01
The People Power Party (PPP) continues to face internal discord over nominations for the upcoming local elections. Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok moved to contain the situation Sunday, saying, “I feel sorry as party leader,” Jang said, in response to reports of a preselected candidate for Daegu mayor, but failed to present a clear solution.
![Jang Dong-hyeok, leader of the People Power Party, attends a general meeting of lawmakers held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on March 22. [NEWS1]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/03/23/0544c2f5-7966-40c2-8beb-216675c5be1d.jpg)
“I will communicate with the nomination management committee chair to quickly wrap up various issues and ensure that the party produces nominations that citizens can accept and that present truly competitive candidates,” Jang added.
A closed-door meeting on Sunday was attended by 12 lawmakers from the Daegu region, including Reps. Joo Ho-young, a six-term lawmaker, Yoon Jae-ok, a four-term lawmaker and Choo Kyung-ho, a three-term lawmaker, all of whom are running for Daegu mayor. Jang said the proposal by senior lawmakers for “citizen nominations” would be conveyed to nomination committee chair Lee Jung-hyun. Just a week after persuading Lee — who had offered to resign — to stay on with full authority and promising reform in the nomination process, Jang now appears to have been swayed again by senior party members.
Conflict escalated as the possibility of cutting off incumbent senior lawmakers from nominations was raised and speculation spread that former Korea Communications Commission Chair Lee Jin-sook was being considered as a candidate for Daegu mayor. The party leadership remained largely ineffective throughout. In the process, disputes between the nomination committee chair and senior lawmakers devolved into mudslinging that even exposed regional tensions.
Similar patterns have emerged elsewhere. When criticism arose that attempts to replace incumbent senior figures were being carried out unilaterally, the party repeatedly stepped back. In Busan, even members within the nomination committee objected after an apparent unilateral decision to exclude Mayor Park Heong-joon from nomination. As internal strife spread through claims such as “someone has already been preselected” or “someone is being excluded,” some candidates halted their campaigns or withdrew from the race altogether.
The party had called for reform-driven nominations through cutting off incumbents, saying “the party must be shaken at its core to change,” but in three regions — Gangwon, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang — it instead handed single-candidate nominations to incumbent governors and mayors. This has led to criticism that the nomination process lacks both standards and consistency.
The PPP’s approval ratings are trailing far behind those of the ruling party. A recent Gallup poll even showed support in the Daegu—North Gyeongsang region, the historic stronghold for the PPP, has fallen sharply to 28 percent, lower than the Democratic Party’s 29 percent. At a time when the party needs to impress voters through fresh and fair nominations, ongoing controversy over fairness is making any rebound in support unlikely. Questions are growing over whether the opposition party can present itself as a viable counterpoint to the dominant ruling party before the election — to the point where voters may feel compelled to worry about the party themselves.
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.
Jang Dong-hyeok, leader of the People Power Party, attends a general meeting of lawmakers held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on March 22. [NEWS1]
“I will communicate with the nomination management committee chair to quickly wrap up various issues and ensure that the party produces nominations that citizens can accept and that present truly competitive candidates,” Jang added.
A closed-door meeting on Sunday was attended by 12 lawmakers from the Daegu region, including Reps. Joo Ho-young, a six-term lawmaker, Yoon Jae-ok, a four-term lawmaker and Choo Kyung-ho, a three-term lawmaker, all of whom are running for Daegu mayor. Jang said the proposal by senior lawmakers for “citizen nominations” would be conveyed to nomination committee chair Lee Jung-hyun. Just a week after persuading Lee — who had offered to resign — to stay on with full authority and promising reform in the nomination process, Jang now appears to have been swayed again by senior party members.
Conflict escalated as the possibility of cutting off incumbent senior lawmakers from nominations was raised and speculation spread that former Korea Communications Commission Chair Lee Jin-sook was being considered as a candidate for Daegu mayor. The party leadership remained largely ineffective throughout. In the process, disputes between the nomination committee chair and senior lawmakers devolved into mudslinging that even exposed regional tensions.
Similar patterns have emerged elsewhere. When criticism arose that attempts to replace incumbent senior figures were being carried out unilaterally, the party repeatedly stepped back. In Busan, even members within the nomination committee objected after an apparent unilateral decision to exclude Mayor Park Heong-joon from nomination. As internal strife spread through claims such as “someone has already been preselected” or “someone is being excluded,” some candidates halted their campaigns or withdrew from the race altogether.
The party had called for reform-driven nominations through cutting off incumbents, saying “the party must be shaken at its core to change,” but in three regions — Gangwon, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang — it instead handed single-candidate nominations to incumbent governors and mayors. This has led to criticism that the nomination process lacks both standards and consistency.
The PPP’s approval ratings are trailing far behind those of the ruling party. A recent Gallup poll even showed support in the Daegu—North Gyeongsang region, the historic stronghold for the PPP, has fallen sharply to 28 percent, lower than the Democratic Party’s 29 percent. At a time when the party needs to impress voters through fresh and fair nominations, ongoing controversy over fairness is making any rebound in support unlikely. Questions are growing over whether the opposition party can present itself as a viable counterpoint to the dominant ruling party before the election — to the point where voters may feel compelled to worry about the party themselves.
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
To write comments, please log in to one of the accounts.
Standards Board Policy (0/250자)