On the 21st, Jang Dong-hyuk, leader of the People Power Party, who is on his 7th day of hunger strike demanding the acceptance of "twin special prosecutors" for the Unification Church and campaign funds, is in conversation with Lee Seok-yeon, Chairman of the National Unity Committee, at the hunger strike protest site in the National Assembly Rotunda Hall in Yeouido, Seoul. [Photo=Yonhap News]

People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk's hunger strike has passed the one-week mark. 

On the 21st, his 7th day of the hunger strike, Jang reportedly became so physically depleted that he needed assistance from his aides to stand, as his blood oxygen saturation rapidly decreased and his systolic blood pressure hit a record low since the previous afternoon. 

"I will be buried here, and the Democratic Party will be buried by public sentiment."

Medical personnel warned of potential after-effects and recommended immediate hospitalization. However, Jang steadfastly refused to be moved or receive intravenous fluids, stating, "I will be buried here." Consequently, emergency measures such as installing a medical oxygen generator at the protest site were taken.

An ambulance is on standby at all times in front of the protest site in the National Assembly's Rotunda Hall to prepare for any emergency. The leadership of the People Power Party also urged Jang to end his hunger strike due to concerns for his health and tried to persuade him to go to the hospital, but Jang remained resolute, vowing not to back down unless the Democratic Party accepts the "twin special prosecutors." 

A 'Solo Hunger Strike' Begun Amidst Ridicule and Suspicion

Immediately after the hunger strike began, many within the People Power Party held skeptical views of Jang's decision. In particular, factions such as the "Han Dong-hoon faction" (Pro-Han Dong-hoon), who had been in conflict over issues like the party members' bulletin board incident, disparaged it as a "political show" initiated out of desperation after being cornered in their attempt to have Han Dong-hoon expelled using the Central Ethics Committee.

Opposition parties, including the Democratic Party, denigrated Jang's hunger strike with harsh terms like "hunger strike gangster" and, as the strike continued, urged him to stop the "political hostage situation," stating, "Now is not the time for a hunger strike, but for reflection."

Notably, former lawmaker Kim Hyung-joo, from the Democratic Party, appeared on a left-leaning YouTube broadcast and taunted Jang, even uttering the extreme remark, "It would be even better if you died."

The day before the hunger strike began, on the 14th, "Alternatives and Future," a group of first and second-term lawmakers from the People Power Party, issued an urgent statement strongly protesting the Ethics Committee's decision to expel Han Dong-hoon, requesting a suspension and reconsideration of the decision.

The following day, when Jang began his hunger strike, it is true that the Han Dong-hoon faction, as well as the majority of party members including them, reacted with skepticism, calling it a "show to cover up the expulsion scandal."

Hunger Strike D+7… Uniting the Conservative Camp, Including the Party's Internal Ranks

On the 20th, the sixth day of the hunger strike, as Jang's health deteriorated significantly, "Alternatives and Future," which had remained silent until then, visited the hunger strike site and belatedly issued a statement of full support for Jang, resolving to form a united front, thus shifting their stance to support Jang. 

They issued a statement saying, "We will actively support and participate in Representative Jang Dong-hyuk's hunger strike struggle," and "We have resolved that any words or actions that hinder the party's unity must cease."

From the 21st, the seventh day of the hunger strike, the atmosphere has been changing, with not only internal critics but also conservative figures from outside the party visiting to show their support. Jang's hunger strike, initiated to demand "twin special prosecutors for the investigation of the Unification Church and campaign funds," is leading to the consolidation of the conservative camp. 

Lee Jun-seok, leader of the Reform Party, also made a surprise visit to the protest site and expressed his intention to cooperate, stating that they would explore future joint protest measures, such as "both parties must coexist."

Within the party, senior lawmakers like Na Kyung-won and Im Yi-ja have visited the protest site one after another to lend their support to Jang. Meanwhile, the spokesperson group for the People Power Party analyzed that this hunger strike has become a catalyst for rallying conservative supporters, and that the party's approval rating has shown an upward trend, increasing by 3.5 percentage points compared to the previous week according to a poll by Realmeter, a pro-Democratic Party research institute. 

"Twin Special Prosecutors? Great, Let's Double Down!"… The Democratic Party's Novel Demand

When Jang began his hunger strike, Democratic Party leader Chung Chin-rae mocked him, calling it "whining, not fighting," and a "hunger strike show" to cover up his difficult position regarding Han Dong-hoon's disciplinary action. He scoffed, "The Democratic Party is already proposing special prosecutors, so why is he on a hunger strike demanding the acceptance of special prosecutors?"

Subsequently, on the 16th, during a Supreme Council meeting, he criticized Representative Jang Dong-hyuk's demand for special prosecutors as a "diversionary hunger strike." He countered by proposing, "If you want to investigate the Unification Church, let's also include the Shincheonji allegations, which are of greater public concern, and have a special prosecutor investigate them all at once."

Since then, Chung Chin-rae has repeatedly asserted on his social media (SNS) and other platforms, "We are willing to accept all of it, so let's investigate Shincheonji together," continuing his offensive to weaken the justification for Jang's hunger strike. 

The issue of Shincheonji is a matter that elicits a very sensitive reaction from the Democratic Party's supporters and is a difficult topic for conservatives to defend. Chung Chin-rae is using this as a condition for the special prosecution, intending to frame it as "The People Power Party is refusing the special prosecution to protect Shincheonji."

Song Eon-seok's 'Bad Move' That Again Disrupts Unity

In response, People Power Party floor leader Song Eon-seok is reportedly facing public outrage for proposing a compromise to the effect of "Let's handle Shincheonji separately."

While Representative Jang Dong-hyuk is undertaking a life-threatening hunger strike targeting the "Unification Church and campaign fund allegations," the floor leader, Song Eon-seok, by opening the door for negotiation in response to the Democratic Party's counterattack with the "Shincheonji card," has weakened the clarity and momentum of the protest, drawing criticism. 

The Democratic Party is employing a strategy of complicating the issue by bringing up Shincheonji to avoid investigating the Unification Church. However, Song Eon-seok's apparent acceptance of this by suggesting "separate handling" has, in effect, led them into the Democratic Party's delay tactics. 

Consequently, dissatisfaction has erupted among People Power Party supporters and other conservative factions, asking, "Why is the Shincheonji issue, which was resolved in the past, being brought up for discussion again now?" This, perceived as a lack of coordination among the party leadership, is becoming a factor that hinders the unity of supporters. 

Ultimately, the clash between Representative Jang Dong-hyuk's "cliff-edge tactic" of a life-threatening hunger strike and Song Eon-seok's "realistic compromise theory" has led to the People Power Party's internal voices, which should be responding to the Democratic Party's attacks, failing to unite and resulting in further division, according to the analysis. 

Reporter Park Hye-soo