The Democratic Party of Korea criticized the internal atmosphere of the People Power Party (PPP), saying "even the minimum self-reflection on the insurrection attempt is being treated as an 'obstacle.'" The party argued that the PPP is losing its identity as a conservative party and losing reason.
On Wednesday, Democratic Party spokesperson Park Ji-hye said, "Cracks that can no longer be hidden are emerging even within the People Power Party." She continued, "When Rep. Cho Kyoung-tae, a senior figure within the party, made the extremely common-sense remark that 'the martial law was wrong' at the opening ceremony of Busan Mayor candidate Park Heong-jun's campaign office, supporters of PPP leader Jang Dong-hyuk silenced him with chants and shouting." She emphasized, "This is not a simple incident, but a stark cross-section of the main opposition party that has lost its reason."
Park added, "Where has the identity of a conservative party that pledged to defend constitutional values gone?" She sharpened her criticism, asking, "Is common sense now merely a target for expulsion in the People Power Party?" She explained, "Leader Jang Dong-hyuk went a step further and insisted that 'a month is enough to gather divided hearts.' That is arrogance," adding, "What is needed to restore public trust is not time, but scathing self-reflection that cuts out the rotten parts."
Regarding Jang's recent remarks, she assessed them as "a shallow trick to deceive voters only by attacking the government and the president without proper reflection." Park said, "Far from intending to heed public sentiment, attempts to cover up their own faults only through strategic offensives will inevitably come back as a boomerang and face the people's judgment." She added, "Even now, they should break free from the yoke of 'Yoon Again,' prostrate themselves in apology before the people, and first rebuild their collapsed morality and common sense."
