PPP Faces Dilemma as Defendant in Lee Myung-bak Case Files Court Appeal

Han Byung-do, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, stated on the 16th that the suspended prison sentence recently finalized for Jang Young-ha, chairman of the People's Power Party's Seongnam Sujeong-gu chapter in Gyeonggi Province, who had raised allegations linking President Lee Jae-myung to organized crime, represents "truth's judgment." Hwang Myung-sun, a Supreme Council member of the same party, said, "Now that Jang Young-ha's guilty verdict has been finalized, PPP lawmakers who systematically spread false information must also be held legally accountable." However, Chairman Jang has already filed a court appeal against the ruling. One wonders how the ruling party, which pushed through the court appeal system despite concerns it could trigger endless appeals against guilty verdicts, will respond now.

The People's Power Party's Nomination Management Committee excluded Chungbuk Governor Kim Young-hwan from nomination (cut off) in the June 3 local election primary on the 16th. This marks the first incumbent local government head to be eliminated in this PPP internal primary. Lee Jung-hyun, chairman of the nomination committee, suggested the possibility of replacing incumbents in Daegu and elsewhere, calling it "a starting point for the rebirth of the People's Power Party." However, pushback has been considerable, with Busan Mayor Park Hyung-jun criticizing it as "a reckless sword dance." Only by fielding candidates that meet public expectations through fair standards can the party avoid nomination controversies.