Opposition Launches "Personnel Disaster" Offensive Before Holiday... Mulls Street Protests

Pressure Mounts for Hyunji Kim and Gyeonggi-Seongnam Line to Appear at National Assembly Audit

The People Power Party is intensifying its offensive by labeling the second cabinet reshuffle of the Lee Jaemyung administration as a “personnel disaster.” While zeroing in on the so-called “Gyeonggi-Seongnam Line,” known as the core group within the Lee administration, the party is pressuring relevant figures to appear at the upcoming National Assembly audit. Meanwhile, the party leadership is weighing the possibility of staging large-scale street protests after the Chuseok holiday.

Jang Donghyuk, leader of the People Power Party, is delivering a speech at the highest council meeting held at the National Assembly on September 21, 2026. Photo by Dongju Yoon

Jang Donghyuk, leader of the People Power Party, stated during the Supreme Council meeting on the morning of the 21st regarding allegations of a petition to cover up the misconduct of Kim Seungwon, a member of the Democratic Party who withdrew in the personnel vetting process, “This cannot end with a resignation. There must be an investigation.” He added, “We also need to clarify the responsibility of the presidential personnel office and whether Hyunji Kim, the presidential secretary, was involved.”

The People Power Party is targeting the so-called Gyeonggi-Seongnam Line as the backdrop for the nominations of Kim Seungwon and Yong Haein, members of the Basic Income Party, who both withdrew from consideration. The party plans to demand the appearance of Hyunji Kim, the key figure of the Gyeonggi-Seongnam Line, and Jeong Jin-sang, former chief of political affairs for the Democratic Party, at the upcoming National Assembly audit scheduled for October.

Floor leader Jeong Jeom-sik commented, “If someone without an official post is involved, that amounts to state affairs being manipulated by an unofficial power broker.” He also called for the resignations of Chief Presidential Secretary Kang Hoon-sik and Prime Minister Han Seong-sook over the personnel debacles. In addition, the People Power Party is ramping up criticism against Kang Shin-cheol, nominee for Minister of National Defense, and Hong Ji-seon, nominee for Minister of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport.

Meanwhile, the People Power Party plans to hold a public briefing session in front of the National Assembly’s main building on the morning of the 22nd. After listening to the public sentiment during the Chuseok holiday, party leader Jang is also preparing for large-scale protests outside the Assembly. However, there are internal criticisms that such actions are only intended to consolidate the faction in power within the party, as well as calls to focus on the upcoming parliamentary audit.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.