▲ Protesters demonstrating against election fraud in front of a ballot counting station
Debate is heating up within the People Power Party (PPP) over demands to hold re-elections for the June 3 local elections following a ballot paper shortage.
While the party leadership faction, led by Representative Jang Dong-hyeok, is pushing for a full-scale re-election, internal opinions have split into three directions: a full-scale re-election, a selective re-election advocated mainly by reformists and former legal professionals, and an opposition to any re-election.
The group most actively leading the call for a full-scale re-election consists of Representative Jang and the party leadership's Supreme Council members, including Shin Dong-wook, Kim Jae-won, Kim Min-soo, and Cho Kwang-hwan.
Representative Jang, who has been visiting Jamsil daily, urged President Lee Jae-myung on his Facebook page on Sunday to "listen to the voices of the youth and citizens crying out for an immediate re-election."
On Saturday, he proposed a public meeting with Prime Minister Kim Min-seok and Democratic Party leader Jung Chung-rae to discuss holding a nationwide re-election and launching a special counsel investigation.
There are also voices calling for partial re-elections, viewing a full-scale re-election as unrealistic.
Led by Representative Na Kyung-won, lawmakers including Yoo Sang-bum, Kim Seon-gyo, Kwak Kyu-taek, Park Choong-kwon, Joo Jin-woo, and Choi Su-jin held a press conference at the National Assembly on Friday, June 12, urging, "The National Election Commission (NEC) should not hide behind court rulings but make an ex-officio decision to hold partial re-elections."
Representative Joo Jin-woo, a former prosecutor who has been leading the offensive against the ruling party, remarked in a media interview, "If there is a public consensus, it is possible to pursue re-elections by amending the Public Official Election Act."
There are also many lawmakers who worry about the aftermath of a re-election, or who initially mentioned the need for one right after the election but are now taking a wait-and-see approach.
Arguments from this group focus more on reforming the NEC rather than holding re-elections.
Representative Kim Yong-tae of "Alternative and Future," a group of reform-minded first- and second-term lawmakers, pointed out on his Facebook page on Sunday, "What about the citizens who criticize the corruption of the NEC but do not agree to a re-election?" He added, "If we hold a full-scale re-election while ignoring the Constitution and laws, it will trigger nationwide debates and lawsuits over the infringement of suffrage."
Recently, an argument reportedly broke out in a Telegram chatroom of the party's lawmakers.
This occurred on Saturday when Representative Kim Min-jeon stated, "Isn't our party's response to an illegal election too weak?" adding, "There are arguments that if martial law is unconstitutional and illegal, the infringement of suffrage is an even greater unconstitutionality and illegality."
In response, Representative Kwon Young-jin pointed out, "Comparing this to martial law seems inappropriate. Please take down [the message]." Representative Kim replied that she would remove it if the comparison made people uncomfortable, but repeatedly emphasized, "If we stand by and do nothing, we will become sinners of history."
Differences in stance are also apparent regarding visits to Jamsil Olympic Park, where citizens claiming their suffrage was infringed have gathered.
Representative Jang and other members of the party leadership have been visiting Jamsil daily, taking photos with citizens and holding signs that read "Rigged Election, Re-election," in an apparent bid to take the initiative in responding to the situation.
On the other hand, lawmakers including Na Kyung-won, Cho Bae-sook, Park Dae-chul, Kim Eun-hye, Yoo Sang-bum, Park Sung-min, Kim Tae-gyu, Park Sung-hoon, Lee Jin-sook, Joo Jin-woo, and Choi Su-jin have also visited Jamsil, but they are focusing more on the purpose of listening to the voices of the citizens.
Ultimately, the party's stance on the re-election is expected to take shape to some extent following a general meeting of lawmakers scheduled for mid-week.
For now, the party appears poised to focus on forming a special committee for parliamentary investigation and a task force (tentatively named) for NEC reform and election system innovation.
Chief Spokesperson Choi Bo-yun also told reporters on Sunday, "For now, we will focus on the parliamentary investigation and special counsel. Depending on what is revealed, we can fully discuss holding a re-election," but added, "It is not a situation where we can speak definitively."
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.