Jang Dong-hyeok, leader of the People Power Party. Yonhap News

Jang Dong-hyeok, leader of the People Power Party, delivered his final speech at a rally in Incheon yesterday. It was the closing remark for the nationwide tour rallies. "To shout that we must break away from the past is itself to remain in the past." This is a declaration that there will be no apology. 

With this single sentence, Leader Jang Dong-hyeok dismissed the pressure from the Chosun Ilbo, JoongAng Ilbo, Dong-a Ilbo, and cable news channels that had been ongoing for over a month. The Chosun Ilbo, praising Han Dong-hoon 24 hours a day, put pressure on Jang Dong-hyeok. Dong-a Ilbo, TV Chosun, and Channel A brought in Han Dong-hoon's cronies and made them repeat "Apologize quickly, apologize" like parrots. Within the party, pro-Han factions such as Yang Hyang-ja, Choi Hyung-du, Kim Jae-seop, Han Ji-a, and Kim Ye-ji continued to hold him back and tear at him. However, Leader Jang Dong-hyeok remained unshaken and chose a head-on breakthrough.

What happens the moment an apology is made? The Democratic Party will break the neck of the People Power Party or Leader Jang Dong-hyeok the moment they utter the word "apology." "You admit it. You are indeed a party of insurrection. Then disband." This is the scenario prepared by the Democratic Party. 

An apology is a sign of surrender. It is crawling into the position of the subordinate. It is to remind the public of past events again, instilling the perception that "the People Power Party was wrong." That is why Leader Jang Dong-hyeok refused to apologize. This is the path forward in the right direction of history, and a choice to protect the rule of law, freedom, and democracy in Korea.

The pressure Jang Dong-hyeok is facing is likely much stronger than we realize. The Chosun Ilbo, JoongAng Ilbo, and Dong-a Ilbo attack him daily, cable news channels gnaw at him hourly, and within the party, pro-Han and pro-Lee factions continuously shake things up. Ordinary citizens watch only one or two broadcasts, but Leader Jang Dong-hyeok receives all of this simultaneously. This is because the perspective changes when one becomes a leader. Despite such pressure, Leader Jang Dong-hyeok has endured well. And yesterday, he declared a head-on breakthrough. This is true leadership.

What if it were someone other than Leader Jang Dong-hyeok? They would have gone along step by step, saying they had to embrace Han Dong-hoon, embrace Lee Jun-seok, and embrace the Chosun Ilbo, JoongAng Ilbo, and Dong-a Ilbo. But Leader Jang Dong-hyeok was different. He set a clear direction: to sort out Han Dong-hoon, block Lee Jun-seok, and attack Lee Jae-myung. 

The target of the attack is Lee Jae-myung. We must unite to fight against Lee Jae-myung's dictatorship and protect Korea and its people. We do not apologize for martial law, nor do we apologize for impeachment. We only move forward. He is doing an exceptionally good job.

The Democratic Party is now crumbling from within. Jeong Cheong-rae and Lee Jae-myung are fighting, the scandal of 770,000 phantom party members has surfaced, the sexual harassment incident involving Jang Gyeong-tae has exploded, and the controversy over Unification Church funding has also been revealed. 

Now more than ever, conservatives must unite. It's not the time to laugh while watching the Democratic Party crumble. The more the Democratic Party falters, the more the Chosun Ilbo, JoongAng Ilbo, and Dong-a Ilbo will shake Jang Dong-hyeok. They will try to revive Han Dong-hoon and bring in Lee Jun-seok to split the People Power Party again. Therefore, Leader Jang Dong-hyeok's position is extremely important right now.

Leader Jang Dong-hyeok is currently undertaking a role that is much more difficult and challenging than any party leader in the history of conservative parties. With the current number of seats and power, no bill can be blocked. Despite struggling in an abnormal power imbalance between the ruling and opposition parties, his role and responsibility are far more crucial than any party leader at any other time. Can he sort out Lee Jun-seok? Can he sort out Han Dong-hoon? Can he cut out the cancerous cells within conservatism? Can he counter Lee Jae-myung's regime to the end and bring about Lee Jae-myung's resignation? Can he amplify the conflict between Jeong Cheong-rae and Lee Jae-myung to weaken Lee Jae-myung's power early? All of this rests on Leader Jang Dong-hyeok.

The foundation of party politics is its platform. No party that survives by trading in personalities has ever succeeded. Fandom politics, "gae-ttal" style politics, the theory of the all-powerful middle ground, and pragmatic integration theories corrupt a party. Infighting, factionalization into private armies, and abnormal loyalty structures ruin a party. The priorities are clear. The will of the party members comes first, the interests of the faction come second, and individual politicians come last. Establishing a platform, uniting the party's sentiment, and attracting low-engagement voters to expand influence. This is the way for conservatives to survive.

Leader Jang Dong-hyeok is now walking that path. If Han Dong-hoon and Lee Jun-seok are allowed to act freely, Korea will cease to exist. These are individuals who can only survive if President Yoon Suk-yeol is found guilty of sedition. Sorting them out is the duty entrusted to Leader Jang Dong-hyeok. And our duty as citizens is to protect Leader Jang Dong-hyeok. 

This means joining the party, participating in rallies, and voicing our opinions on social media (SNS). Let's join the People Power Party right now. All it takes is 1,000 won a month in party dues. Then you can exercise your vote in candidate nominations for local elections. To prevent unseemly figures like Yang Hyang-ja from being elected again, we must join the party immediately.

The reorganization of the conservative camp has begun. Leader Jang Dong-hyeok's declaration to refuse an apology is the signal flare. Now it is our turn to respond. Conservatives compete on their platform. Liberal democracy, market economy, rule of law, national security, and responsible politics... this is the identity of conservatives. Let's leave populism, fandom politics, anti-business, and anti-market platforms to the Democratic Party. We must walk our own path. Regime change is the only answer. Go, Leader Jang Dong-hyeok!! 

Editorial Department, Hankook Ilbo