People Power Party to Hold Outdoor Rally in Daegu for First Time in 6 Years; Mulls 'Infinite Filibuster'

Party Believes 'Attacks on the Judiciary' by Ruling Bloc Have Fueled Public Backlash; Mobilizes to Consolidate Opposition Sentiment

Seeking Consensus on 'Filibustering All Bills' as Strategy to Indefinitely Delay Ruling Party-Led Legislation

People Power Party demands 'end to political maneuvering' and 'halt to judicial capture' (Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Hwang Kwang-mo = People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok, floor leader Song Eon-seok, and other lawmakers chant slogans calling for an end to judicial interference during a general meeting at the National Assembly on the 19th. 2025.9.19 hkmpooh@yna.co.kr

The People Power Party (PPP) is set to embark on an all-out struggle against the government and the ruling party, starting with an outdoor rally in Daegu on the 21st, a public holiday.

Amid rising internal tension caused by the special counsel’s expanding investigation—including the seizure and search of party member lists—the opposition party has concluded that negative public sentiment regarding the government's governance style has intensified. This follows allegations raised by the ruling bloc regarding a meeting between Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, which the PPP characterizes as a "strike against the judiciary."

The party plans to employ every possible means to wage a comprehensive battle, specifically targeting public sentiment ahead of the Chuseok holiday early next month.

At the Daegu rally, the PPP intends to actively inform the public about the impropriety of the Democratic Party's push for a dedicated judicial panel for insurrection cases, its attempts at media and judicial reform, and the special counsel's investigation.

This marks the first outdoor rally held by the PPP in approximately five years and eight months, following the January 2020 rally in front of Gwanghwamun to condemn the illegality of amendments to the Public Official Election Act, which introduced the quasi-proportional representation system.

The PPP also plans to hold an on-site Supreme Council meeting in Daejeon on the 25th to continue its regional campaign, highlighting the "mismanagement" of the Lee Jae-myung administration.

The party is also considering holding a large-scale rally in Seoul on the 27th.

The plan is to consolidate public concern regarding the government and ruling party's unilateral management of state affairs—first in its traditional stronghold of the Yeongnam region and the central Chungcheong region—and then project this as nationwide sentiment in Seoul.

While strengthening its outdoor public opinion campaign, the party is also considering in-house tactical options to delay the Democratic Party’s legislative drive.

The floor leadership is currently gathering opinions from lawmakers regarding the use of the filibuster (a legitimate obstruction of proceedings through unlimited debate) on all bills not agreed upon by both ruling and opposition parties.

In the past, the party focused on using filibusters on specific bills to highlight their unfairness. By expanding this to all bills, the party believes it can better emphasize the Democratic Party's "legislative tyranny."

The PPP believes that expanding the scope of filibusters would place a significant burden on the government and the ruling party's administration.

Under the National Assembly Act, a filibuster can last 24 hours, meaning it would take at least 24 hours to pass a single bill. While this cannot physically stop the Democratic Party, which holds a majority, from passing bills, it effectively delays the passage of multiple pieces of legislation.

The party also views the "infinite filibuster" as a potential tool to pressure National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik, who presides over plenary sessions.

Furthermore, the PPP claims that the Public Welfare Economy Consultative Body—previously agreed upon during a meeting between leader Jang Dong-hyeok and President Lee Jae-myung—has collapsed due to the Democratic Party's unilateral parliamentary operations.

The PPP argues that dialogue between the ruling and opposition parties is meaningless while the Democratic Party pushes for unilateral bill passages and refuses to recognize the PPP as the primary opposition party.

Analysts suggest that the reason for the PPP's all-out struggle is the recognition that if it fails to fend off the Democratic Party's offensive branding them an "insurrection party," its very "survival" could be at stake.

The PPP views the special counsel's search and seizure of member lists, the investigation of lawmakers, the ruling party's pressure on Chief Justice Cho to resign, and the push for a dedicated judicial panel as a coordinated effort aimed at "eradicating the opposition party."

The PPP suspects that the special counsel intends to indict its lawmakers and create an environment where courts hand down guilty verdicts, which would then be used as a pretext to file for the dissolution of the party.

A party official stated in a call with Yonhap News, "How can we have a dialogue with a ruling party that is working to destroy the opposition?" adding, "We will resist using every means available to us."

Additionally, the PPP's decision to launch a hard-line struggle is influenced by the belief that a growing number of citizens agree with the party’s claim that the constitutional order, based on the separation of powers, is in crisis, particularly following allegations regarding the meeting between Chief Justice Cho and Prime Minister Han.