The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) has formally distanced itself from former President Yoon Suk Yeol by adopting a resolution rejecting his political comeback, exposing deep divisions within the conservative bloc. This move follows Yoon's conviction over his December 3, 2024, martial law declaration and comes amid concerns over the party's prospects in the June 3 local elections.
The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) held an emergency meeting of lawmakers at the National Assembly on Monday, March 10, and adopted a resolution rejecting calls for former President Yoon Suk Yeol's political comeback, known as the "Yoon Again" movement. Issued in the name of all PPP lawmakers, the resolution also apologized for the turmoil caused by Yoon's December 3, 2024, martial law declaration, following his conviction related to the incident.
The decision marks the party's clearest effort to separate from Yoon as it prepares for the June 3 local elections. Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon welcomed it, stating it created "the minimum political footing needed" for the party to compete. Oh had previously urged the leadership to clarify its stance on Yoon and withheld his candidacy registration until resolved.
Questions persist about the party's broader strategy. PPP leader Jang Dong-hyeok offered no separate statement after the meeting, saying only that he would "respect the collective will of party lawmakers."
Analysts describe a challenging balancing act between moderate voters and the conservative base. Eom Kyung-young of the Zeitgeist Research Institute criticized the leadership's influence from right-wing YouTube channels, noting their subscriber numbers more than doubled during the political turmoil around Yoon's martial law and impeachment. Party membership grew from about 750,000 during the presidential election to around 1.15 million, with many new members holding strong conservative views and joining via networks linked to political YouTubers.
Park Sang-byung, a political commentator and professor at Inha University, said internal dynamics focus not on the local elections but on post-election leadership contests. He warned that a complete break with Yoon could alienate the core support base that propelled Jang to leadership.
Backlash from hard-line supporters has emerged. Conservative YouTuber Jeon Han-gil called the resolution a betrayal and demanded Jang clarify his position, threatening to leave the party and launch a new movement if the break solidifies.
A recent Realmeter poll showed the PPP at 32.4% approval, trailing the ruling Democratic Party of Korea's 48.1%. The party must now translate the resolution into action, presenting viable candidates and policies to regain relevance amid an unprecedented lack of bids for nominations.
