PPP turmoil deepens after Han expulsion

Jan 30, 2026, 11:02 am

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People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk speaks during a Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly on Jan. 29. / Lee Byung-hwa

South Korea’s conservative People Power Party has plunged into deep internal turmoil following its decision to expel former leader Han Dong-hoon, with growing fears of defeat in the upcoming June local elections.

The party leadership finalized Han’s expulsion on Jan. 29, calling it an unavoidable decision based on party rules and the independence of its ethics committee. However, lawmakers aligned with Han openly opposed the move, pushing intraparty conflict to a boiling point. Some party members have begun calling for the formation of an emergency steering committee ahead of the June 3 local elections.

Party Supreme Council member Cho Kwang-han told reporters that “90 percent of party members agreed with the expulsion,” adding that Han must acknowledge his wrongdoing for political reconciliation to be possible. In contrast, Youth Supreme Council member Woo Jae-joon, the sole dissenter, said the decision amounted to retaliation for Han’s support of impeachment, describing it as “the peak of internal conflict.”

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Former People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon leaves the press briefing room at the National Assembly on Jan. 29 after delivering a statement on the party leadership’s decision to expel him. / Lee Byung-hwa

After Han held a press conference at the National Assembly denouncing the decision, 16 pro-Han lawmakers issued a joint statement demanding the immediate resignation of the party leadership. They argued that the expulsion constituted a serious act of misconduct against the party and accused leader Jang Dong-hyuk of sacrificing the party’s future for personal political gain.

The lawmakers warned that the decision was impossible to justify unless the leadership’s goal was to retain control of the party regardless of electoral defeat. Signatories included lawmakers such as Ko Dong-jin, Kim Sung-won, Kim Ye-ji, Kim Hyung-dong, Park Jung-ha, Bae Hyun-jin and Jin Jong-oh.

Despite the backlash, the party leadership has vowed to move forward, shedding what it calls the “Han Dong-hoon risk” and focusing on livelihood issues while gearing up for an all-out local election campaign. Still, speculation is mounting that a poor election outcome could trigger the collapse of the current leadership, with scenarios involving a dual leadership structure under Na Kyung-won and Yoon Sang-hyun gaining traction.

Political analysts widely predict defeat in the local elections. Some say the party could shift to an emergency committee system afterward, followed by a leadership convention and broader discussions on party reform or conservative realignment. There is also growing speculation that Han could run as an independent candidate in a by-election rather than rejoining or aligning with a party associated with a hardline support base.

#People Power Party #Han Dong-hoon #expulsion #party infighting #local elections