PPP interim chief vows leadership election by September

People Power Party interim leader Kim Yong-tae speaks during a press conference at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, Sunday, against a backdrop reading, "We will respond with responsibility, reflection and change." (Yonhap)

People Power Party interim leader Kim Yong-tae pledged Sunday to hold a party convention to elect a new leader by early September, in efforts to reunite the conservative bloc reeling from its presidential election defeat, ahead of next year’s local elections.

"Conducting the local elections under elected leadership, rather than the current interim system, is essential not only to win the race but also to restore the conservative bloc," Kim said during a press briefing at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul.

Kim has opted to hold a party congress amid internal divisions over whether to form another emergency leadership committee or hold a party convention to elect the party's new leadership.

Kim said the People Power Party must move past the internal disarray and public disappointment that followed former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment, triggered by his controversial martial law declaration on Dec. 3, and the party’s defeat in the June 3 presidential election.

His plan includes introducing a bottom-up nomination system for local elections and incorporating national opinion polls into the party’s decision-making on legislative votes at the Assembly.

The People Power Party's party leading role has remained vacant since Han Dong-hoon stepped down on Dec. 16.

Kim was appointed interim leader on May 10 after the party faced public backlash for attempting to replace then-presidential nominee Kim Moon-soo, who had won the People Power Party primary, with former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo.

While the leadership initially moved to replace Kim, the plan was scrapped after strong criticism. Then-interim leader Rep. Kwon Young-se resigned on May 10, taking responsibility for the failed move.

Kim Yong-tae also pledged to investigate the leadership’s earlier attempt to swap out Kim Moon-soo as the party’s nominee and hold those responsible to account, calling it a major breach of democratic procedure that deeply shocked party members and supporters.

Kim further announced the party would nullify its previous official stance opposing Yoon’s impeachment.

"I will push for the nullification of the party’s official stance opposing the president’s impeachment in order to fundamentally resolve the feud between the pro-impeachment and anti-impeachment factions within the party," Kim said.

Kim explained that "the party’s official stance was to oppose the two impeachment bills proposed by the Democratic Party of Korea, based on the principle of ‘deciding whether to impeach according to the results of the investigation.'"

"However, the decisions of the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court provide definitive grounds compelling the party to determine or revise its official position," he added.

Kim said he would treat any public attacks based on differing views over the impeachment as attempts to sow discord, noting that both supporters and opponents of the impeachment acted out of patriotic concern.

Kim also added that “any major party officials, including elected members, who publicly defend (Yoon’s) martial law declaration will be referred to the party’s ethics committee for disciplinary action.”

Meanwhile, Kim also called on President Lee Jae-myung to face court trials over his alleged violations of election law during the 2022 presidential race and illegal remittances to North Korea during his term as Gyeonggi Province governor in 2018.

He criticized the ruling Democratic Party of Korea for pushing legislation aimed at shielding Lee from prosecution, referring to them as "laws tailored for one person."