On the 9th, People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok visited Olympic Park in Songpa, Seoul, and engaged with citizens while holding a sign calling for a “re-election due to electoral fraud.” [SNS capture]

Within the People Power Party, the internal perspective on leader Jang Dong-hyeok’s “Olympic Park movement” is shifting rapidly from criticism to active participation. 

The prevailing sentiment is that the sincerity of leader Jang, who has visited the site every evening to protect the suffrage of citizens following the ballot paper shortage, has ultimately prompted a large-scale joining of his fellow party members.

On the morning of the 20th, after concluding a supreme council meeting, Park Jun-tae, chief of staff to the People Power Party leader, met with reporters and directly refuted the criticism raised by some against Jang’s site visits. 

Park stated, “To my knowledge, over 40 members of our party have visited Olympic Park so far,” and clarified that Jang’s actions are not for personal political gain but represent a “movement to safeguard citizens’ suffrage” that the entire party should support.

“Regardless of faction,” from senior to first-term lawmakers… over 40 assemble

Initially, some within the party expressed negative views regarding Jang’s Olympic Park visits, suggesting he was “doing outside what should be done inside the National Assembly.” However, Jang’s persistent efforts to listen to the voices of citizens and young people who have put aside their livelihoods to take to the streets have eventually swayed internal opinion.

So far, 11 members of the leadership have visited the site, including leader Jang, as well as representatives Jeong Hee-yong, Park Jun-tae, Shin Dong-wook, Woo Jae-jun, Kang Myeong-gu, Seo Cheon-ho, Kim Jang-gyum, Jo Seung-hwan, Park Seong-hun, and Choi Bo-yun.

The momentum has continued, with lawmakers transcending factions and seniority levels joining in.

△Senior lawmakers: Na Kyung-won, Yoon Sang-hyun, Jo Bae-sook (5-term); Ahn Cheol-soo, Yoon Young-seok, Yoon Jae-ok, Park Dae-chul (4-term), etc.

△First and second-term lawmakers: Kim Mi-ae, Kim Eun-hye, Koo Ja-keun, Park Seong-min, Park Soo-young, Lee In-sun, Yoo Sang-bum, Jeong Dong-man, etc.

It is reported that a total of 41 lawmakers have visited the site in an individual capacity to stand in solidarity with the citizens. This is viewed as evidence that Jang’s steadfast approach has successfully served as a catalyst for broadening consensus within the party.

Park Jun-tae: “Those who criticize will be recorded as politicians who turned their backs on the citizens”

Park adopted a strong tone in criticizing those who disparage the site visits. 

He delivered a sharp rebuke, saying, “There are citizens and young people at Olympic Park who have temporarily put their livelihoods on hold. For anyone who claims we shouldn't join because the party leader is there, or that this is just a 'tactic to hold onto power,' such remarks are impossible for anyone who puts the people at the center of their politics.” He further added, “If you have things to say like that, do it under your real name from now on.”

The People Power Party leadership expects the number of lawmakers visiting the site to increase further, as the issue of suffrage, primarily driven by the 2030 generation, has remained a point of contention for over a month and a half.

A party official noted the atmosphere, saying, “In a situation where we cannot turn our backs on public sentiment, leader Jang paved the way, and lawmakers are now rallying in agreement with his sincerity.”

Ultimately, despite attempts to undermine him from both inside and outside the party, it is widely assessed that Jang Dong-hyeok’s “field-oriented” leadership—focused on defending the rights of the people—is acting as a new driving force for party unity.

Reporter Lim Yo-hee