Jang Dong-hyuk, leader of the People Power Party, speaks at a press conference at the National Assembly on the 28th regarding the Unification Church special prosecutor, the bill for a dedicated court for insurrection, and the Democratic Party's proposed three special prosecutor bills. [Photo = Yonhap News]

Jang Dong-hyuk, leader of the People Power Party, held a press conference at the National Assembly on the 28th and stated, "Now, self-reliance and innovation within the party take precedence over external alliances." The dispute between the ruling and opposition parties over the processing of the Unification Church special prosecutor bill is also continuing within this framework.

At the press conference, Jang stated, "Political engineering-based alliances or temporary collaborations with external forces cannot be a solution to enhance the party's fundamental competitiveness," adding, "It is most important for the People Power Party to change and strengthen itself." He emphasized, "Alliances without self-reliance are difficult to persuade the public."

"Alliances without self-reliance make it difficult to persuade the public"

Today's remarks are interpreted not as a singular statement on a specific issue, but rather as an extension of the answers Jang has consistently given to recent political inquiries.

Although questions continued regarding the Unification Church special prosecutor, the approach to confronting the opposition, and the party's future direction, Jang's answers consistently pointed towards prioritizing internal solidarity and struggle over external alliances.

The "self-reliance" line advocated by Jang was not a consensus choice within the party from the outset. There were reports of considerable internal backlash and concerns regarding a course prioritizing internal unity and hardline struggle, from a perspective that emphasized alliances and expansion.

When Jang publicly announced a shift in direction on the 19th, stating, "It is time to change," opinions were divided.

"The Unification Church Special Prosecutor Bill must be processed"

However, according to party officials, perceptions within the party began to change after Jang engaged in a filibuster to block the bill for establishing a dedicated court for insurrection, speaking for nearly 24 hours.

During the filibuster on the 22nd-23rd, the number of subscribers to the People Power Party's official YouTube channel, 'People Power Party TV,' exceeded 500,000, and the number of standing party members paying dues surpassed 1 million. This has led to a perceived shift in how the self-reliance strategy is being evaluated both inside and outside the party.

Within the party, there is a growing sentiment that "self-reliance is still ongoing, but the results are not necessarily negative." The initial strong opposition has shifted to an attitude of observing whether the self-reliance approach is indeed having a mobilizing effect on the party to some extent.

Meanwhile, regarding the Unification Church special prosecutor bill, Jang stated, "The special prosecutor bill must be processed in the plenary session of the National Assembly on the 30th," and added, "The special prosecutor bill proposed by the People Power Party and the Reform Party is in line with the original intent." He characterized the similar bill proposed by the Democratic Party as "an attempt to dilute and undermine the special prosecutor initiative pursued by the opposition party."

In response, the Democratic Party immediately reacted. Park Soo-hyun, the Democratic Party's chief spokesperson, issued a statement criticizing the People Power Party, saying, "The People Power Party is using the special prosecutor as a tool for political offensive," and called it "an argument to evade responsibility." Kim Hyun-jung, the Democratic Party's floor spokesperson, also stated, "If you have the will to conduct a special prosecutor investigation, accept it without conditions."

Political circles view Jang's press conference as a reaffirmation of the People Power Party leadership's stance to maintain a course centered on self-reliance and struggle rather than alliances. The conflict between the ruling and opposition parties over the Unification Church special prosecutor is also expected to continue for the time being.

By Reporter Kim Young