Members of the People Power Party, including party leader Jang Dong-hyuk and floor leader Song Eon-seok, are shouting slogans at a general meeting of lawmakers held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul on the 11th, condemning the Democratic Party's withdrawal from an agreement on the three special prosecutor bills. Yonhap News

Stalemate in the National Assembly

The approval of the arrest warrant for lawmaker Kwon Seong-dong and the Democratic Party's forceful passage of the special prosecutor bills starkly revealed the People Power Party's powerlessness.

The opposition party, outnumbered in seats, has virtually been blocked from responding effectively in the legislative arena. Everything in the National Assembly is proceeding according to the ruling party's will, creating a situation where both legal risks and special prosecutors are simultaneously pressuring the opposition.

Ultimately, for the opposition party defeated on the institutional battlefield, the only remaining space was the streets.

Persecution of the Christian Community and the Wings of Conservatism

Recent raids on churches and the arrest of pastors have shaken the foundations of the conservative camp. The Christian community has traditionally been a driving force for conservatism and street protests, but it now appears that the government is attempting to "clip their wings," according to some assessments.

The opposition is likely to prominently feature the message "persecution of religion is persecution of freedom" at upcoming rallies. This could expand beyond a mere religious issue to encompass fundamental democratic rights.

Youth and Election Fraud Allegations: New Sparks

Although still weakly organized, discontent among young people and citizen groups raising concerns about election fraud are once again turning their attention to external protests.

The movements of those distrustful of institutional politics hold potential as a force that could merge with the People Power Party's street protests. In particular, the sentiment that "democracy is being betrayed by institutions" can spread across generations and sectors.

Framing it as Imitation of Chinese Public Security Rule

The strongest justification for the current street protests is the controversy surrounding prosecutorial reform.

The People Power Party criticizes President Lee Jae-myung's prosecutorial reform, stating, "It is a 100% imitation of Chinese public security rule. It's an even more extreme institutional experiment than China's."

While China has left minimal checks and balances on prosecutors, the Korean reform proposal aims to eliminate even those, it is argued.

This is framed not as a mere legislative debate but as an attempt to dismantle liberal democracy, elevating the street protests to a confrontation between "democracy versus Chinese-style rule."

Pressure from International Variables

Signals from Washington are also significant. President Trump issued a warning against judicial dictatorship by banning the entry of Brazilian Supreme Court justices, and Secretary of State Rubio mentioned the possibility of sanctions against those persecuting religion.

President Lee Jae-myung's own public disclosure of the canceled ROK-US summit, stating he "did not sign anything against national interest," has also caused ripples.

The moment the South Korean government's choices revealed tensions with the United States, the opposition party was able to take to the streets under the banner of "fighting to protect national interests."

A Three-Pronged Test

The People Power Party's street protests are not merely protest rallies but a political test.

In the short term, they can strengthen the image of an "opposition party fighting" by galvanizing their base. While the Democratic Party will counter with the frame of "neglecting people's livelihood," the scale of media and on-the-ground mobilization will determine the outcome.

In the medium term, public sentiment during Chuseok will be crucial.

The effectiveness of the street protests is expected to be reflected in opinion poll numbers after the holiday. If the frame of "imitating Chinese public security rule" spreads among the public, the Democratic Party's reform drive will be impacted. Conversely, if it only exacerbates "political fatigue," a backlash could occur.

In the long term, it is connected to international variables.

If messages from Washington align with domestic politics, these street protests could even expand to an international framing of "defending Korean democracy versus the Chinese governance model." However, if not accompanied by an in-house strategy, street protests risk losing momentum and ending as a消耗性 event.

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