Rep. Bae Hyun-jin of the People Power Party has returned to her post as Seoul party chapter chief after a court suspended the effect of her party membership suspension. Her reinstatement is expected to intensify conflicts between the central party and the Seoul chapter over nominations for the June 3 local elections.
Bae, a prominent pro-Han Dong-hoon figure who has strongly criticized the leadership under Chang Dong-hyuk, will now oversee Seoul nominations. Observers say this could mark a watershed moment in the party's internal power dynamics.
According to political sources on the 6th, Bae immediately began nomination work upon her return, including forming the Seoul chapter's nomination management committee. "I will resume nomination work that had been halted by disciplinary action, including membership qualification reviews and nomination committee formation," Bae said the previous day.
Currently in Seoul, the People Power Party holds the mayorship, 14 district chief positions, and 74 city council seats. With the party on the defensive in most regions outside Daegu-North Gyeongsang (TK), defending Seoul—where it has not yet fallen behind the Democratic Party of Korea—is considered a critical priority.
If Bae-led nominations lead to successful defense of Seoul districts in the local elections, this would likely be credited as her political achievement. Conversely, the Chang Dong-hyuk leadership faces growing political accountability if the party fails to defeat the Democratic Party outside TK.
However, the situation is not entirely favorable for Bae. Last month, the People Power Party assigned nominations for constituencies with populations exceeding 500,000 to the central nomination committee, partially reducing the Seoul chapter's influence. Five Seoul districts—including Gangnam and Songpa, where pro-Han lawmakers are concentrated, as well as Gangseo, Gwanak, and Gangdong—now fall under central committee jurisdiction.
Tensions are also evident between the party's nomination committee, which has signaled a "shakeup of incumbents," and current officeholders. Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, visiting the National Assembly for a forum, said: "It is fortunate that the Seoul chapter can now operate normally, even if belatedly, thanks to the court's decision."
Meanwhile, a National Election Commission survey of 2024 National Assembly member donations showed the People Power Party raised approximately 719 million won—down sharply from about 1.007 billion won the previous year. The amount was less than the Reform Party's roughly 836 million won, leaving the party ranked fifth overall.