Jang faces leadership crisis amid party infighting and stalled alliance

Apr 01, 2026, 09:20 am

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Jang Dong-hyeok, leader of the People Power Party, walked toward the National Assembly Speaker’s office on March 31 to meet Speaker Woo Won-shik. The closed-door meeting was reportedly held to request the party’s cooperation on a constitutional revision proposal. / Yonhap News

Jang Dong-hyeok, leader of the People Power Party, is facing a growing leadership crisis as internal divisions intensify and efforts to build external alliances falter.

According to political sources on March 31, the party is dealing with simultaneous conflicts both inside and outside its ranks. Jang has struggled to accelerate on-the-ground campaign activities ahead of the June 3 local elections. A planned leadership meeting in Seongnam on March 26 was canceled, and his upcoming visit to Jeju on April 3 is expected to focus more on attending the April 3 memorial ceremony than election campaigning.

Internal conflict surrounding the nomination for Daegu mayor has also escalated. Joo Ho-young, deputy speaker of the National Assembly, strongly opposed the nomination committee’s decision to cut him from consideration, calling it “self-destructive nomination,” and has taken a hardline stance. A court ruling on his injunction request is expected as early as this week, raising the possibility of further internal turmoil depending on the outcome.

Within the party, criticism is growing that Jang’s leadership has failed to manage or resolve the crisis and instead has exacerbated divisions. As controversies surrounding nominations continue, there are concerns that he has not demonstrated sufficient ability to mediate or unify the party. During meetings with regional lawmakers over the Busan and Daegu mayoral nominations, Jang reportedly reiterated only a general principle, saying, “The essence of nominations is fairness.”

Public criticism has also emerged from younger party members. Kwon Young-jin, a member of the reformist group “Alternative and Future,” said in a radio interview that “Jang lacks experience leading major elections” and “does not accurately read public sentiment.”

Park Jung-ha also criticized the party’s situation, saying it had gone “beyond frustration to a state of disarray.” A senior party member added that “to unite under Jang’s leadership, he must demonstrate leadership that meets public expectations.”

Externally, the situation is also challenging. The party has failed to produce tangible results in discussions with the Reform Party, which is considered a potential ally. Although Jang met with Lee Jun-seok, leader of the Reform Party, the talks only reached a general agreement on opposing the ruling party and did not advance to an electoral alliance.

Political analyst Eom Kyung-young said, “Jang has continued subtractive politics since taking office, effectively creating the current situation,” adding that “even the conservative stronghold of Daegu and North Gyeongsang is now wavering.” He warned, “If Jang fails to overcome this crisis, his political career could come to an end.”

#Jang Dong-hyeok #People Power Party #leadership crisis #local elections