People Power Party (PPP) floor leader Song Eon-seok on Tuesday pushed back against internal calls for party leader Jang Dong-hyuk to step down or take a back seat roughly a month before the June 3 local elections, saying, "Discussing the party leader's fate before the election is a misplaced priority."
Speaking on SBS's "Joo Young-jin's News Briefing," Song acknowledged, "It is true that [Chairman Jang] is facing various controversies. It is also true that there have been disappointing aspects in several recent matters that have fallen short of the public's expectations." He cited Jang's recent 10-day visit to the United States as an example.
"The fundamental question is whether our party's approval rating would surge if the party leader steps down," Song said. "We need to be cautious about the idea of replacing the general right before a war." He added, "I believe Chairman Jang is also deliberating on various issues."
Song also rebutted calls from Busan-based lawmakers—including Kim Do-eup, Kwak Kyu-taek, and Kim Dae-sik—who have demanded conservative unification, even mentioning "no nomination" and "reinstatement," in connection with former party leader Han Dong-hoon's bid for the National Assembly by-election in Busan's Buk-gap district. Han was expelled from the party. "In any case, we must nominate our party's candidate quickly," Song said.
"It is the duty of a public party to make every effort to ensure that the nominated candidate wins," he said. "When elections come, the most fundamental responsibility of a political party is to field a candidate and pool all resources by any means necessary to get that candidate elected."
Regarding suggestions within the party that he should shorten his floor leader term (ending June 15) to align with the Democratic Party's election of a new floor leader on May 6, Song dismissed the idea. "I am not clinging to my position, and I will do my best in whatever role I am called to perform at any time," he said.
