Energized by the Rejection of Kim Seung-won and Yong Hye-in, PPP Weighs Outdoor Rallies
With former Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won joining former Gender Equality and Family Minister nominee Yong Hye-in in falling from grace in the August 30 cabinet reshuffle, the leadership of the main opposition People Power Party under Chairman Jang Dong-hyuk is raising the stakes in its anti-government struggle. The leadership is planning a National Assembly rally on the 22nd and is even considering outdoor rallies, drawing attention to how far the campaign will escalate.
Jang's leadership has decided to hold a 'public briefing on the misrule of the Lee Jae-myung administration' on the steps of the National Assembly main building on the 22nd, alongside party lawmakers, just ahead of the Chuseok holiday. The plan is to gauge public sentiment over the holiday before intensifying the offensive against the ruling camp. A key party official explained, "This time it will be held at the National Assembly, but it's meant to show that we can take the fight outdoors at any moment." Jang's side is reportedly reviewing plans to hold outdoor rallies in central Seoul and other cities every weekend after the holiday, and has already filed rally permits for every Saturday starting October 3.
The PPP leadership views the successive rejections of Kim Seung-won and Yong Hye-in as symbolic examples of the Lee Jae-myung government's failed vetting of nominees. Senior Spokesperson Park Sung-hoon emphasized on the 18th, "After we gauge public sentiment during Chuseok, if the public's anger and resistance grow further, we are fully ready to take our fight outdoors."
However, senior and multi-term lawmakers are showing a temperature gap with the leadership, voicing caution that outdoor rallies would burden members busy preparing for National Assembly audits, and criticizing the plan, saying it is "inappropriate to use the rallies as a means of boosting the chairman's leadership" and that "outdoor rallies should be a last resort."
Meanwhile, Jang's leadership is distancing itself from the possibility of joining forces with independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon in outdoor rallies. When asked about this by reporters recently, Jang reportedly said he would maintain his own style of political struggle.
