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The People Power Party’s (PPP) leadership clashed with Innovation Committee Chair Yoon Hee-sook on July 23 over her absence from a key general meeting of lawmakers, effectively halting debate on the party’s proposed reform agenda.

Party leaders claimed discussion could not proceed without Yoon’s attendance, while Yoon pushed back, saying she never received a formal invitation to attend. The standoff further clouds the fate of the so-called “Yoon Hee-sook reform plan,” with many now predicting its collapse.

The PPP had originally planned to discuss proposals including enshrining past party wrongdoings in its bylaws, changing the method for electing top party officials, and strengthening a system that allows party members to recall lawmakers. A prior session had already been delayed due to flood recovery efforts.

At the rescheduled meeting, no reform debate occurred. Chief spokesperson Kwak Gyu-taek told reporters afterward, “Many lawmakers insisted that the innovation chair must personally attend to explain the proposals. We reached out, but she did not respond.”

Yoon immediately disputed that version of events. Writing on Facebook, she said, “At 9 a.m.—just 90 minutes before the meeting—I asked if I should attend and was told, ‘We’ll have to discuss it.’” She also cast doubt on media reports claiming she had refused to appear, stating that Rep. Park Su-min, chief secretary to the interim party leader, told her it was not possible for the acting chair to summon her alone. “What kind of courage does it take to hear a reform proposal at a general meeting?” she asked.

Although the party reconvened its general meeting in the afternoon, many now believe the reform plan is effectively dead, especially as the party gears up for its leadership convention on August 22. Lawmakers loyal to President Yoon Suk Yeol are reportedly strongly opposed to Yoon Hee-sook’s proposals.

Attention within the PPP is now shifting from the reform plan to the upcoming convention. So far, four candidates have declared their intention to run: former presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo, Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo, Rep. Cho Kyung-tae, and Rep. Jang Dong-hyuk. Among them, Jang appears to be gaining the strongest support from pro-Yoon lawmakers.