Yoon Jaebok Selected as Yongin Gap Organizing Committee Chair... Preliminary Battle Amid Party Turmoil Ahead of Party Affairs Audit

Yongin Gap Organizing Committee Chair Election Settled on October 16
Internal strife still smolders... Pro-Han faction raises concerns

The People Power Party has concluded the election in Yongin Gap, Gyeonggi Province, where problems emerged during the party-member direct election for the organizing committee chair of a vacant party chapter. However, internal conflicts, including factional strife, have yet to subside ahead of the party affairs audit set to begin at the end of the year.

Jang Donghyuk, leader of the People Power Party, delivers opening remarks at a Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 15th.

At a meeting on the morning of October 16, the People Power Party's Special Committee for Strengthening Organization discussed the contentious post of organizing committee chair in Yongin Gap and decided to designate candidate Yoon Jaebok for the position. During the primary in the district, a telecommunications carrier's system error prevented some party members from receiving automated response system (ARS) calls. The party had planned to hold a runoff revote on October 18 to address the problem, but the matter was settled after another candidate, Supreme Council member Yang Hyang-ja, announced she would not participate.

Jeong Hee-yong, the party's secretary general and chair of the committee, said that day, "A briefing for the candidates regarding the runoff revote was held at 2 p.m. on October 15, but only candidate Yoon attended and signed a pledge to abide by the primary agreement." He added, "After comprehensively reviewing the other candidate's stated intention not to participate in the revote and other matters, the committee decided not to hold a runoff revote and designated the organizing committee chair for Yongin Gap based on the results of the original runoff."

The controversy over the election for organizing committee chair in Yongin Gap thus appears to have been settled on the surface. However, turmoil within the party has yet to subside. The direct election by party members was seen as a preliminary test of the party leadership's efforts to strengthen its commitment to a party centered on its members. But because candidate Yoon is aligned with the pro-Jang Donghyeok faction, the dispute has left room for further factional conflict. Party members' assessments are also set to be reflected in the regular party affairs audit scheduled for the end of the year, adding to sensitivities within the party.

At the Supreme Council meeting the previous day, Yang raised suspicions that voting errors may also have occurred in other districts. She also called for "a comprehensive investigation of the entire election and a full rerun." Further objections have also come from members of the pro-Han Donghoon faction, including Supreme Council member Woo Jae-jun. Assemblyman Park Jeong-hoon said that day on YTN Radio's "News Myeongdang with Jang Seong-cheol," "Misunderstandings must be dispelled transparently."

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