People Power Party faces doubts over its ability to reform

With Ahn’s committee now derailed, questions are mounting about whether the PPP can recover public support at all.

Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo answers questions from reporters after announcing his resignation as head of the People Power Party’s reform committee and his intention to run for party leadership during a press conference at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, on July 7. [YONHAP]

Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo abruptly resigned as head of the People Power Party’s (PPP) reform committee just five days after accepting the role. Citing the party leadership’s rejection of calls for personnel reform, Ahn declared the initiative effectively dead before it even began. He had accepted the position with the pledge to revive a party in “a comatose state” and expressed his determination to root out the “abscesses and infections” that had corrupted Korea’s conservative politics.

Ahn, who opposed the imposition of martial law and supported the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, was seen as the PPP’s last credible hope for renewal. The reform committee was scheduled to launch officially after completing member appointments, but Ahn’s sudden withdrawal — coupled with his declaration of intent to run for party leader — has left the initiative in disarray.

The rupture stemmed from Ahn’s demand for a shake-up of the pro-Yoon faction, which the party’s interim leadership reportedly rejected. Ahn criticized party leaders for refusing to authorize “surgery on a critically ill patient,” alluding to the need for deep reform. He had specifically called for the expulsion or suspension of key figures from Yoon’s inner circle, including former floor leader Kweon Seong-dong and former emergency committee chair Kwon Young-se, both of whom had been embroiled in controversies during the last presidential race. Interim leader Song Eon-seog is said to have dismissed those demands.

The episode reveals the PPP’s persistent internal resistance to reform, even after the downfall of its own president and a subsequent electoral defeat. Kim Yong-tae, another former reform leader who resigned in frustration, had also proposed five major reforms, only to see them blocked by the pro-Yoon establishment. Those who had defended Yoon and his wife unconditionally, opposed impeachment, and failed to distance themselves from martial law plans remain entrenched in power.

People Power Party Emergency Committee Chair Kwon Young-se speaks during a committee meeting at the National Assembly on April 14. At left is floor leader Kweon Seong-dong. [YONHAP]

With Ahn’s committee now derailed, questions are mounting about whether the PPP can recover public support at all. More than half the party’s seats are concentrated in the Yeongnam region, with just 19 seats in the Seoul metropolitan area. Even in its traditional strongholds of Daegu and North Gyeongsang, party support has dropped into the 30 percent range, while President Lee Jae Myung’s approval ratings have exceeded 50 percent.

Despite the clear need for bold restructuring — akin to the party’s 2004 “tent headquarters” era — resistance from Yeongnam-based party elites remains strong. For Korea’s democracy to function, a viable and responsible opposition party is essential. With a leadership race expected in August, the public is now watching to see whether the PPP can overcome its regional and factional entrenchment and embrace a reformist path that restores credibility to the conservative cause.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.