Does Chairman Jang Dong-hyeok Have Authority to Conduct 'Complete Reselection' of Party Chapters?
The ruling People Power Party is experiencing internal strife over plans for the collective resignation and reselection of party chapter chairmen nationwide, but emphasis is being placed on the fact that the Supreme Council ultimately holds the key to reshuffling the party chapters.
According to political circles on the 22nd, discussions on reshuffling the leadership of the party's member council operating committee began in earnest from the 12th.
On that day, Chairman Jang Dong-hyeok raised the possibility of not operating the party chapters in the way that had been done previously—essentially automatic extension upon term expiration—but instead reselecting party chapter chairmen by reflecting party members' opinion through full party member voting or responsible member voting.
In particular, Jang identified party chapter chairmen as replacement targets who were not actively fighting against the Democratic Party and the Lee Jae-myung government, or showed interest only in local election nominations. Chairman Jang emphasized the need for party chapter restructuring, stating, "Right now 20 percent are fighting, but we need to change into a party where 80 percent fight."
Incumbent lawmakers were not excluded. On the same day, Jung Hee-yong, Secretary General and chairman of the Steering Committee for Core Reformation, explained in response to a question about whether regions with incumbent lawmakers could be included in the party chapter chairman recruitment that there are no separate exceptions for incumbent lawmakers under party constitution and rules.
The Steering Committee also discussed plans on that day to expand recruitment areas beyond re-recruitment for existing problem-stricken party chapters. Re-evaluation of 27 locations that had recommendations for party chapter chairman replacement in the previous party management audit and the issue of regular party chapter chairman elections were also placed on the agenda for review.
Prior to this, proposals for large-scale personnel renewal were also raised both inside and outside the party. Lee Jung-hyun, former Chairman of the People Power Party's Nomination Management Committee, diagnosed the People Power Party on the 11th as being in a "coma state," presenting a generational transition theory that young people around 45 years old should comprise over 51 percent to participate in the party's decision-making.
The party chapter restructuring plan took concrete form through Supreme Council discussions on the 13th. The leadership discussed reselecting party chapter chairmen based on party member voting, etc., instead of conventionally reappointing existing chairmen, and agreed to gather opinions from city and provincial party chairs.
The discussion expanded on the 20th to a plan to put all party chapter chairmen, including incumbent lawmakers, on a level playing field and then reselect them through party member voting.
On that day, Chairman Jang and the party leadership pursued a complete reselection plan at the Supreme Council, but Party Floor Leader Jung Jeom-sik and Youth Supreme Council Member Woo Jae-jun raised questions about procedures and interpretation of party rules, leading to no conclusion. After continuing discussions from morning into afternoon, they ultimately deferred the resolution and decided to additionally hear opinions from the member assembly.
Incumbent lawmakers' opposition surfaced at the member assembly. In two member assemblies held on the 20th, opposition to complete reselection was dominant, and in the member assembly held again on the 21st, opinions were also dominant that the existing method should be maintained—where the party chapter operating committee selects the party chapter chairman.
Choi Su-jin, Floor Leader Senior Spokesman, stated after the member assembly, "We think it would be better to do things the existing way, that is, the method of reselection by the operating committee," and indicated that Party Floor Leader Jung would convey such opinions to the Supreme Council.
However, the opposition of incumbent lawmakers alone cannot prevent collective resignations or complete reselection.
Senior Spokesman Choi Bo-yoon explained after the Supreme Council on the 20th, "The member assembly's decision does not bind the Supreme Council decision," indicating that lawmakers' opinions would be referenced in the decision-making of Supreme Council members.
In fact, evaluations suggest that the voting structure within the Supreme Council is not disadvantageous to Chairman Jang. At the Supreme Council on the 20th, Chairman Jang and Supreme Council Members Kim Min-su, Kim Jae-won, Yang Hyang-ja, and Cho Gwang-han—five people in total—showed support, while Youth Supreme Council Member Woo Jae-jun opposed and Supreme Council Member Shin Dong-wook abstained, according to reports. If the current structure is maintained, Supreme Council members supporting the complete reselection plan would hold a majority.
Separately from the party rules interpretation controversy, the Supreme Council also has a channel through which to make incumbent party chapter chairmen resign.
Article 28 of the People Power Party's Local Organization Operating Regulations stipulates that the Supreme Council can pass a resolution for the party chapter chairman's resignation after hearing opinions from the relevant city or provincial party chairman and secretary general. It is a structure where even if the party chapter chairman does not voluntarily resign, the Supreme Council can pass a resolution for resignation through the process of hearing opinions.
Leadership influence can also be exercised in the selection of successors. According to Article 30 of the Local Organization Operating Regulations, the organization chairman is appointed by the party chairman after examination, recommendation, and Supreme Council resolution by the Steering Committee for Core Reformation. Ultimately, if Chairman Jang secures the consent of the Steering Committee and Supreme Council, he can exercise influence from the resignation of existing chairmen to the selection of successor organization chairmen.
Accordingly, the scope of party chapter reshuffling is expected to vary depending on the Supreme Council's decision on the 24th.
If the complete reselection plan is passed, all national party chapter chairmen, regardless of incumbent or non-incumbent status, can become subject to reconfirmation. It could lead to a major organizational restructuring that reflects party members' opinions in reselecting chairmen for all 254 party chapters nationwide.
Conversely, if the Supreme Council accepts the opinions of the member assembly, the existing method of selection through the party chapter operating committee could be maintained. However, even if complete reselection fails, the path for reshuffling is not blocked. Problem-stricken party chapters and poorly-performing party management audit chapters can be prioritized for reorganization, and if necessary, existing party chapter chairmen can be selectively replaced under Article 28.
In particular, if the scope of replacement expands to incumbent lawmakers, political repercussions are expected to be significant. If incumbent lawmakers are removed from their regional party chapter chairman positions and new figures take over regional organizations, changes could occur in the control of regional party member organizations ahead of the next general election.
The watershed moment is the Supreme Council on the 24th. Party Floor Leader Jung is scheduled to convey incumbent lawmakers' opinions to maintain the existing method, but member assembly opinions have no authority to bind the Supreme Council. Ultimately, the scope of party chapter reshuffling as well as whether complete reselection takes place depends on the Supreme Council's judgment.
A People Power Party official said, "Chairman Jang has secured political momentum from party members and supporters through voting rights protection activities at Olympic Park and elsewhere, and the leadership also has the authority under party rules to organize party chapters. Since turning all 254 party chapters on their head would entail heavy burdens in terms of time, costs, and party internal backlash, there is a possibility that rather than wholesale replacement, it will proceed in the direction of reshuffling a certain scale by establishing justification and standards," he said.