People Power Party Chairman Jang Dong-hyeok walks toward his seat for a meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul, Wednesday. Newsis
The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) is descending into open infighting over how far to push its challenge on the local elections after ballot shortages in several key electorates caused disruptions to voting, with PPP Chairman Jang Dong-hyeok facing mounting calls to step down and accusations that he is using the controversy to prolong his own political career.
At the center of the dispute is the leadership’s decision to lodge election complaints seeking partial revotes in seven constituencies where ballot papers ran out during the June 3 elections, followed by Jang’s move to escalate demands for a nationwide rerun. Senior party members such as Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and floor leader Rep. Jeong Jeom-sig have dismissed Jang’s remarks, saying they are his own personal stance rather than a party position.
Jang made a social media post Tuesday, writing, “The goal is clear. A nationwide rerun. The petitions are only the beginning.”
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Oh — who himself scraped through to win the Seoul mayoral race by a narrow margin — said Jang’s leadership has effectively ended after a major election loss, with the PPP securing only four out of 16 key metropolitan mayoral and gubernatorial seats.
