PPP’s break with Yoon sparks conservative rift ahead of local elections
Rejection of ‘Yoon Again’ movement exposes deepening divide within conservative camp
People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok attends a meeting of party lawmakers at the National Assembly in Seoul, Monday. Yonhap
The main opposition People Power Party’s (PPP) decision to formally distance itself from former President Yoon Suk Yeol is exposing deep divisions within Korea’s conservative bloc as the country approaches the June 3 local elections.
The party adopted a resolution Monday rejecting calls for Yoon’s political comeback, marking its clearest attempt yet to separate itself from the so-called “Yoon Again” movement that has gained traction among some conservative supporters following the former president’s conviction over his Dec. 3, 2024, martial law declaration.
Political observers say the move reflects growing concerns within the party about its electoral prospects, particularly in the Seoul metropolitan area, where public sentiment toward conservatives has deteriorated sharply.
At an emergency meeting of lawmakers, the PPP apologized for the turmoil caused by Yoon’s martial law declaration and said that it opposes “all claims calling for the former president’s political return.”
The resolution was issued in the name of all PPP lawmakers.
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon welcomed the decision, saying it created “the minimum political footing needed” for the party to compete in the upcoming elections.
Oh had repeatedly urged the party leadership to clarify its stance on Yoon, even refraining from registering as a candidate in the party’s local election nomination process until the issue was resolved.
Despite the resolution, however, questions remain about the party leadership’s broader strategy.
PPP leader Jang Dong-hyeok did not deliver a separate statement after the meeting and said only that he would “respect the collective will of party lawmakers.”
Analysts say the party now faces a difficult balancing act between appealing to moderate voters and maintaining support from its conservative base.
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon leaves a restaurant in central Seoul, Monday, after the People Power Party adopted a resolution opposing the "Yoon Again" movement at an emergency meeting of lawmakers to discuss the party’s direction. Yonhap
Eom Kyung-young, head of the Zeitgeist Research Institute, said the party leadership has become increasingly influenced by right-wing YouTube channels that have rapidly gained influence in recent years.
“Jang’s leadership has effectively been steered by YouTube politics,” Eom said. “Back in the 2024 general election, far-right YouTube channels did not have the level of influence they do today.”
He said many of those channels saw their subscriber numbers more than double during the political turmoil surrounding Yoon’s martial law declaration and impeachment.
“Presidential elections are different because turnout is high,” he said. “But party conventions are decided by politically engaged voters and party members, so online campaigning can have a much greater impact.”
Eom also pointed to changes in the party’s membership structure.
“Party membership grew from about 750,000 during the presidential election to around 1.15 million,” he said. “A significant portion of those new members hold strongly conservative views, and many joined through networks connected to political YouTubers.”
Park Sang-byung, a political commentator and professor at Inha University, said internal dynamics within the PPP suggest that leadership struggles may be shaping political decisions.
“The real focus inside the party right now is not the local elections themselves but the leadership contest that could follow them,” Park said.
“Many lawmakers are aligned with internal power blocs and are reluctant to openly challenge the leadership.”
Park added that breaking completely with Yoon could risk alienating the party’s core supporters.
“Jang rose to the leadership with strong backing from the conservative grassroots,” he said. “If the party moves too far away from Yoon, that support base could weaken.”
Meanwhile, backlash from hard-line supporters has already begun to emerge.
Jeon Han-gil, a conservative YouTuber, criticized the resolution as a betrayal of the party’s base and demanded that Jang clarify his position.
Jeon said he would consider leaving the party and launching a new political movement if the leadership definitively breaks with Yoon.
Observers say the episode highlights the growing fractures within Korea’s conservative movement as it prepares for the upcoming local elections.