Floor leader Jeong Jeom-sik says he will decide by Sunday whether to convene a general assembly; party insiders see Jang's departure as increasingly inevitable; ballot shortage probe seen as potential complicating factor
People Power Party floor leader Jeong Jeom-sik said he will decide by Sunday whether to convene a general assembly of lawmakers to discuss the future of party leader Jang Dong-hyeok. With calls for Jang's resignation growing louder within the party, observers expect the question of his tenure to move quickly once an assembly date is set.
Jeong made the announcement at his inaugural press conference at the National Assembly on Friday, saying he would "think it over through the weekend and set a schedule for the general assembly." He added that the schedule for a special parliamentary investigation committee into the ballot shortage crisis needed to be confirmed first.
Jeong had already responded swiftly on Thursday to a request from "Alternative and Future," an intraparty reform caucus demanding Jang's resignation, pledging to decide on a schedule by Sunday. The caucus's 25 members declared that "Jang Dong-hyeok's leadership has collapsed, and the responsibility lies entirely with the Jang leadership," and called on him to step down. They asked that a general assembly be convened by Tuesday.
Sources close to Jeong said his camp broadly shares the view that Jang must ultimately decide to step aside, though it wants any leadership transition to minimize internal division and conflict. A person close to Jeong said the key was "making sure Jang has a graceful exit path."
The main variable that could prolong Jang's stay is the ballot shortage crisis from the recent local elections. Jang has said he cannot accept the election results and is calling for a full re-run. Some observers note that as long as fact-finding procedures related to the issue remain under way, it will be difficult for Jang to step down immediately.
A PPP official said the question of Jang's future "may only be resolved after the parliamentary investigation or fact-finding process into the ballot shortage crisis has reached some conclusion," adding that Jeong was also likely to "listen broadly to opinions within the party rather than push things forward recklessly."
Many in the party, however, believe that spreading calls for leadership accountability will make it hard to drag things out. Supreme council member Woo Jae-jun publicly proposed at Thursday's supreme council meeting that "all of us — the council members — should resign together." Under PPP rules, if four elected supreme council members resign, the council effectively collapses and the party can transition to an emergency committee structure.
Woo reiterated his position on Friday, telling SBS Radio that "more than 80 percent of lawmakers probably think Jang should resign," and asking, "Didn't Rep. Kwon Young-se also mention a full leadership resignation?"
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