PPP leader out of public view amid mounting pressure to resign

▲ The door to the office of Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon, the leader of the ruling People Power Party, is closed at the National Assembly in Seoul, on Dec. 13, 2023. (Yonhap)

PPP leader-general elections

PPP leader out of public view amid mounting pressure to resign

By Kang Jae-eun

SEOUL, Dec. 13 (Yonhap) -- The leader of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) was out of public view for the second day in a row Wednesday as pressure mounted on him to resign and promise not to run in April's general elections after an influential lawmaker vowed out of a run.

PPP Chairman Kim Gi-hyeon has not been seen in public since Rep. Chang Je-won made the surprise announcement Tuesday that he will not run in the upcoming elections as part of reform measures aimed at winning back voter trust in the party.

Chang's decision turned all eyes on to Kim as to whether he will follow suit as the two have been among the PPP heavyweights and confidants of President Yoon Suk Yeol that have been under pressure to give up seeking another term or running in more hard-to-win districts.

On the day of Chang's announcement, the PPP leader canceled a planned charity event and reportedly met with his closest aides to gather opinions on his future course of action. The party also canceled a general meeting of lawmakers planned for Wednesday afternoon.

Party members have engaged in a flurry of discussions about what Kim should do.

"The most significant issue is that the PPP's 'face' should change," said Kim Yong-nam, a former lawmaker and a candidate for the general elections, in a radio interview. "The important issue is whether the party's leader will resign or not."

Some lawmakers, including Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo, argued Kim should also give up running in the general elections, as he was too late to respond to calls for party reform.

"If Kim steps down from the leadership position but maintains his candidacy in his constituency, it will not meet the eye-level of the people," he said in a radio interview.

Meanwhile, a member close to Kim raised concerns that such drastic changes will cause more harm than good, especially when the parliamentary elections are only four months away and promoting unity is crucial in seizing victory.

"If a legitimate party leader is replaced by an emergency measures committee, it would only add more chaos," the lawmaker said on the condition of anonymity.

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