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Rep. Kim Yong-tae of the People Power Party speaks during a press conference at the National Assembly on June 29 regarding the investigation into the death of a Marine on duty. / Song Ui-joo

Rep. Kim Yong-tae of the People Power Party (PPP) on Nov. 27 urged the party leadership to issue a public apology ahead of the first anniversary of the Dec. 3 martial law crisis.

In a Facebook post, Kim wrote that the PPP “must make a collective decision to apologize to the public on the one-year mark of the martial law incident,” noting that although he apologized while serving as the party’s interim leader, “many citizens still harbor doubts about the PPP’s stance.” He argued that the party’s reluctance to clarify its position on the crisis continues to erode public trust.

Kim stressed that the gap between public sentiment and the party’s internal posture has widened. “If we refuse to acknowledge the public’s doubts and distrust, we have no explanation for why the PPP cannot gain momentum even at a time when the Democratic Party is driving legislation and extending its influence over the judiciary,” he said.

He also criticized the recurring “internal strife” narrative within the party. “Let’s not use the label of internal attacks as an excuse to delay reform,” Kim said. “Pointing out the government and ruling party’s failures is not an attack on the nation, and neither is calling for change within the party.”

Kim argued that internal clarity is necessary for the party to broaden its appeal. “We need to channel the party’s energy into conservative reform that reaches out to the public and persuade even those who disagree,” he said. “Only then does the path toward national unity open. An apology is not humiliation but a starting point.”