People Power Party Discusses Special Law for Nationwide By-Elections

Jang Dong-hyuk, interim leader of the People Power Party (PPP), announced that the party will discuss pursuing a special law to hold nationwide by-elections, in response to the ballot shortage incident during the June 3rd local elections. This move is seen as an effort to maintain his leadership position despite calls for accountability. Jang argued that nationwide by-elections are the fundamental solution to the disenfranchisement crisis and cited early voting as one of its causes, stressing the need to amend election laws to hold by-elections without early voting.

The PPP leadership is facing accountability demands for the results of the June 3rd local elections. In response, interim leader Jang Dong-hyuk held a press conference at the National Assembly and stated that the party would discuss proposing a special law for nationwide by-elections. This clarifies the party's existing stance that by-elections take precedence over national investigations or special prosecutor probes. Jang asserted that nationwide by-elections are the only fundamental solution to the disenfranchisement crisis.

Meanwhile, near Olympic Park in Songpa-gu, Seoul, demonstrations demanding by-elections have continued for nearly a week, showing a muddled aspect with slogans and picketing related to 'election rigging conspiracy theories' appearing.

Within the PPP, some observers believe Jang's push for nationwide by-elections lacks momentum, and many lawmakers are distancing themselves from the proposal, excluding the party leadership faction. Veteran lawmaker Cho Kyeong-tae and others argued it was an attempt to evade responsibility for the defeat and called for a transition to an emergency committee system and an early party convention. Lee Jun-seok, leader of the Reform Party, criticized Jang's claims as culminating in a call to abolish early voting, labeling it the delusion of a PPP that has become a 'Yoon Suk-yeol Again' party.