Jang Dong-hyeok rejects alliance talk, urges party reform

Dec 29, 2025, 09:11 am

		0
Jang Dong-hyeok, leader of the People Power Party, speaks during a press briefing at the National Assembly on Dec. 28, addressing issues including the Unification Church special counsel probe and other pending political controversies. / Yonhap

Jang Dong-hyeok, leader of the People Power Party, on Saturday firmly dismissed speculation over a so-called “Jang–Han–Lee alliance,” stressing that now is the time for internal reform rather than political coalitions.

Speaking at a press briefing at the National Assembly, Jang said he could not understand why the term “Jang Han-seok” — referring to himself, former party leader Han Dong-hoon, and former lawmaker Lee Jun-seok — was being used at all.

“I don’t know why this combination even comes up,” Jang said. “I find it difficult to agree that what is essentially an issue involving figures within the same party should be labeled as an ‘alliance,’ or that it carries any real political meaning.”

He added that framing relations between party members as an alliance was conceptually flawed, noting that cooperation between figures belonging to the same party cannot be treated as a political coalition.

Taking aim at Han, Jang argued that “formal or superficial expansion of political support” was not meaningful. “Expansion must be based on unity,” he said. “If one plus one does not become two, or only remains at two, that is not true expansion.”

On the possibility of cooperation with the New Reform Party, Jang said he would not take issue with the term “alliance” itself, but stressed that such discussions were premature. “Various forms of cooperation may be possible to win local elections, but it does not have to be limited to one specific party,” he said, adding that the People Power Party has yet to fully outline how it plans to change and innovate.

Jang emphasized that the party is currently in a phase of reform and renewal, arguing that repeatedly raising the issue of alliances at this stage is inappropriate. “With about five months left until the local elections, this is the time for us to focus on change, innovation and strengthening ourselves,” he said.

He warned that prematurely pushing alliance talks could undermine the party’s credibility. “If we keep talking about alliances now, we risk losing the opportunity — and the justification — to truly reform,” he said, pledging to present a comprehensive reform plan in early January and to demonstrate real change beyond rhetoric.

Asked whether the reform package would address a clear break from former President Yoon Suk Yeol, Jang declined to elaborate. “It is not appropriate to discuss the contents of the reform plan now,” he said, adding that such issues reflect a broader trajectory rather than a single, clearly defined moment. “I will address everything together when the reform plan is unveiled in early January.”

#Jang Dong-hyeok #People Power Party #Han Dong-hoon #Lee Jun-seok #party alliance