Ruling, opposition parties rocked by leadership turmoil ahead of local elections

Democratic Party of Korea leader Jung Chung-rae, right, sees off People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok after he paid his respects at the memorial altar of former Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan at Seoul National University Hospital Funeral Hall in Jongno District, Seoul, Friday. Joint Press Corps

Korea’s two major political parties are grappling with internal turmoil as decisions by their leaders stir deepening opposition ahead of a key national election and party leadership races later this year.

Criticism in both parties has centered not only on the decisions themselves but also on how they were made.

In the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), the dispute arose when party leader Jung Chung-rae proposed a merger with the Rebuilding Korea Party at a public meeting, without first discussing it within the party. Senior members quickly pushed back, saying the proposal had bypassed internal procedures and came at the wrong moment.

The clash came to light during a DPK Supreme Council meeting on Monday, when senior party member Lee Un-ju confronted Jung in person.

“This is not the time for a forced merger,” Lee said, adding that the move appeared to reflect “the ambitions of second-and third-ranking figures rather than the will of the party.”

She warned that the proposal risked turning the DPK into “a party centered on specific individuals” rather than maintaining its current structure.

Other Supreme Council members echoed the criticism.

Rep. Hwang Myeong-seon said a merger ahead of the June local elections would only “create unnecessary turbulence,” while Rep. Kang Deuk-gu said the issue had already “spilled out too far” for the leadership to handle through piecemeal consultations.

Democratic Party of Korea leader Jung Chung-rae, left, speaks with Supreme Council member Lee Un-ju at the National Assembly in Seoul, Monday. Yonhap

Jung has rejected claims that he was attempting to railroad the party into a decision.

“I am not pushing for a merger,” he said during the meeting. “I am suggesting that we begin a discussion and listen to party members’ views.” He added that any decision would have to follow party procedures, including consultations with regional chapters and lawmakers.

Still, some within the party said that Jung’s handling of the proposal had added to unease about his leadership. Subsequently, more than 40 first-term lawmakers called for the merger debate to be suspended, arguing that the party should prioritize supporting President Lee Jae Myung’s agenda rather than internal power struggles.

The controversy widened further when Prime Minister Kim Min-seok weighed in, cautioning against prolonged internal conflict.

“This is not a situation that helps governance,” Kim said during a press briefing on Monday, in remarks widely seen as signaling discomfort within the broader ruling camp as the August leadership convention approaches.

Meanwhile, the main opposition People Power Party is confronting its own leadership crisis after expelling former party leader Han Dong-hoon over allegations that members of his family manipulated opinions on the party’s online bulletin board.

At a lawmakers’ meeting on Monday, party leader Jang Dong-hyeok defended the decision and called for a police investigation to settle the dispute.

“Questions have been raised about the facts,” Jang said. “As party leader, I will fully cooperate with the police so this matter can be clarified.”

His stance, however, failed to ease internal opposition. Those aligned with Han accused the leadership of overreach and warned that the expulsion risked deepening divisions ahead of the June local elections. Some openly called for Jang to step down or face a confidence vote.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon also criticized the handling of the situation, saying the leadership dispute was already weighing on the party’s prospects in the Seoul metropolitan area.

Oh repeated that warning in remarks to reporters, saying the dispute was becoming an electoral burden.

“I am very worried that a ‘Jang Dong-hyeok discount’ could hit the local elections,” he said, adding that anxiety was spreading among candidates and local leaders across the Seoul metropolitan area.