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The National Assembly building in Yeouido, Seoul, is seen on August 31, a day before the opening of the 429th regular session. The Democratic Party is preparing to push reform bills backed by its majority, while the People Power Party has pledged all-out resistance. / Photo by Lee Byung-hwa

The People Power Party (PPP) on Sunday declared a full-scale confrontation against the ruling Democratic Party’s legislative drive, vowing to boycott parliamentary committees while simultaneously waging a battle for public opinion. The move comes as the 100-day regular session of the National Assembly opens on September 1.

According to party officials, the PPP will attend Monday’s opening ceremony, reversing earlier plans to skip the event, but has rejected Speaker Woo Won-sik’s request that lawmakers wear traditional hanbok. The party also countered President Lee Jae-myung’s push for dialogue by proposing a one-on-one meeting, shifting the pressure onto the presidential office. While resuming participation in the budget review process, the PPP reaffirmed its boycott of the vote on opposition nominees to the National Human Rights Commission.

PPP leader Jang Dong-hyuk said the party would “fight in the most effective way case by case,” signaling a two-track strategy of committee boycotts and street rallies. The plan is to check the government and ruling party by mobilizing public sentiment against what the PPP calls “the overreach of reform bills” such as the strengthened special counsel acts and prosecution reform.

To reinforce its resistance, the PPP is bringing senior lawmakers to the forefront. Na Kyung-won, a veteran legislator, has been tapped as the opposition’s chief negotiator on the judiciary committee, where she is expected to clash with Democratic Party Chairwoman Choo Mi-ae over the special counsel laws and prosecution reform. Senior lawmakers will also take a leading role in parliamentary questioning, a task usually handled by first- or second-term legislators. At a meeting last week, Jang urged veteran lawmakers to play a more active role in challenging the government.

A looming flashpoint is the Assembly’s vote on a motion to arrest Rep. Kwon Seong-dong. Given the Democratic Party’s majority, the motion is likely to pass, paving the way for a detention hearing. Observers warn that previously undisclosed details could surface during the proceedings, potentially undermining Kwon’s defense.

The PPP also intends to put pressure on Lee Jae-myung’s cabinet picks. It has zeroed in on Education Minister nominee Choi Kyo-jin, set for a hearing on September 2, and Fair Trade Commission nominee Joo Byung-ki, scheduled for September 5. Choi is expected to be grilled over past drunk driving charges and remarks seen as endorsing conspiracy theories about the Cheonan warship sinking, while Joo faces scrutiny over repeated tax delinquency. The PPP plans to push related legislation, including amendments to strengthen confirmation hearings and revisions to the pardon law to exclude individuals linked to presidential misconduct.