The People Power Party's emergency response committee plans to push for a party convention in early September. Along with this, it is also considering nullifying the party's official stance against impeachment to patch up the conflicts between the factions supporting and opposing impeachment within the party. Additionally, procedures to reflect the party's sentiments and public opinion polls in national assembly voting issues are planned, as well as implementing a 'grassroots nomination' system that gives nomination rights to party members and voters in the upcoming local elections.
Kim Yong-tae, chair of the People Power Party's emergency response committee, held a press conference at the National Assembly's communication hall on the 8th and stated, 'We will proceed with the procedures to hold a party convention by early September.' Kim added, 'We are caught in deep frustration and internal conflict within the party due to the scars of emergency martial law and the impeachment of the president, as well as the failed process of re-establishing the regime,’ explaining that conducting next year's local elections not under an emergency committee system but with an elected party leader would become a primary goal toward rebuilding conservatism and winning the local elections.
Kim stated, 'I have no intention to run in the party convention,' and added, 'I want to try to save the People Power Party, a liberal democratic party that many party members have defended with their blood and sweat, as it faces downfall. I will take all necessary measures to save the party.' He further noted, 'I believe my term will end when the reforms are completed.'
Kim also said, 'I will nullify the party's official stance against the impeachment of the president to fundamentally resolve the conflicts between factions supporting and opposing impeachment.' He remarked, 'The last presidential candidate primary was an emotional battle between supporters and opponents of impeachment,' stating, 'If this issue is not resolved, the upcoming party convention, which conservatives must face, will merely become a battlefield of arguments for and against impeachment.'
Kim continued, 'The leadership of the People Power Party tried to replace candidate Kim Moon-soo, who was elected through the party's primary, with independent candidate Han Duck-soo, and on May 10, the party members corrected this in a party-wide vote.' He noted, 'This candidate replacement controversy caused a significant shock to the party members and supporters during the presidential election phase, so as the emergency response committee chair, I will thoroughly investigate the truth of this incident.'
Kim said, 'I will propose to the party the implementation of 'exception-free 100% grassroots nominations' in next year's local elections.' He emphasized that to eradicate patronage politics and transition to principled politics, reforms must be made to completely restore nomination rights to party members and voters, stating, 'This is the way to prevent a second martial law and a second Yoon Suk-yeol.'
Kim stated, 'I will ensure that the party's stance, which can determine the party's fate, does not advocate for the claims and interests of specific power holders or factions, but rather pursues the universal interests of the party and the people.' He added, 'I will push for institutionalizing the formation process of the party's stance by reflecting party sentiments and public opinions and documenting this process.'