South Korea’s main opposition People Power Party is heading into a turbulent leadership race — with a far-right firebrand gaining support and threatening a hostile leadership takeover as the party reels from its June 3 election defeat.
Kim Moon-soo, the presidential candidate who was labor minister in the Yoon Suk Yeol administration, declared his candidacy on Sunday in the party's Aug. 22 leadership election.
In his announcement, Kim accused the Lee Jae-myung administration of exerting improper influence over the legislative and judicial branches, referring to Lee as a “criminal” and “autocrat” — language often used by critics of the current administration, including supporters of former President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Kim also said the party “should accept his membership and keep the doors open unless there’s a particular issue,” when asked about the recent entry of Jeon Han-gil, a far-right YouTube personality and former history lecturer.
Jeon, a vocal opponent of Yoon’s impeachment, was revealed last week to have joined the People Power Party in early June — a belated disclosure that has sparked growing controversy.
In an interview Friday with broadcaster Channel A, Jeon said he would run for party leader "if there is no suitable candidate who supports" Yoon.
Despite having no formal political expeience or electoral record, he has built a loyal following among hard-line conservatives by spreading conspiracy theories — including claims that the Democratic Party of Korea seized power through election fraud — and by urging voters to rally behind candidates loyal to Yoon.
Observers say that Jeon’s appeal lies in his role as a megaphone for the party’s most extreme base.
"He gives voice to the hardcore pro-Yoon base — and like it or not, that translates into real support for the People Power Party," said a source who previously served on the People Power Party’s June 3 campaign team. "Other lawmakers stage sit-ins and nobody cares. But when Jeon speaks, his far-right remarks go viral. He’s someone the party can no longer simply ignore."
On Saturday, Jeon further escalated his rhetoric, questioning whether he or former party leader Han Dong-hoon was the "true leader of the conservative bloc."
He added, "We must take over the People Power Party," calling on his supporters to unite behind a pro-Yoon candidate.
The next day, Han — a key reformist voice who has emphasized the need to distance the party from Yoon — issued a sharp rebuttal, condemning both Jeon and Kim’s approach as a dead end for the conservative bloc.
"When the question itself is absurd, there can be no right answer. The idea of asking ‘who is the party’s rightful owner’ shows the essence of extremism," Han wrote on Facebook. "Turning the PPP into a far-right party is a sure path to collapse. ... If we go down this road, conservatism will never reclaim power."
Han is also reported to be considering a bid for the party leadership.
Jeon’s eligibility to run, however, remains in question.
Under People Power Party rules, leadership candidates must have paid party dues for at least three months before registering. With registration set for July 30–31, Jeon — who joined on June 9 — falls short of this requirement.
Still, the People Power Party might bend the rules if necessary, according to the same source.
"The game of rules can change — it already did during the presidential race," the source said, referring to the party leadership’s failed attempt to replace Kim with former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo as its presidential nominee, even after the final primary.
Other prominent figures who have distanced themselves from Yoon have yet to present a clear strategy to counter the party’s internal divisions and the growing influence of the far-right.
Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo, a former presidential contender, has criticized Jeon’s entry into the race as "inappropriate" and said the party should reject him. Earlier this month, Ahn stepped down as head of the party’s reform committee — launched on July 2 in an effort to restore public support — and declared his candidacy for the party’s leadership election.
Rep. Na Kyung-won, another former presidential contender and once a front-runner for party leadership, announced Sunday that she would not run, saying she would take her share of responsibility for the party’s election defeat.
Meantime, the PPP’s reform drive — once viewed as key to recovering from its presidential defeat — is losing steam.
Led by Rep. Yoon Hee-sook, the reform committee proposed revising the party charter to include formal apologies for Yoon’s martial law declaration and impeachment.
However, the proposals are widely expected to face immediate backlash from Yoon loyalists in senior party positions, many of whom would be blocked from running for another Assembly term under the plans.
flylikekite@heraldcorp.com
