PPP leader resigns amid mounting pressure

The leader of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) stepped down Wednesday amid mounting pressure on him to resign to reform the beleaguered party ahead of April’s general elections.

PPP Chairman Kim Gi-hyeon announced the decision on social media a day after Rep. Chang Je-won, a close confidante of President Yoon Suk Yeol, said he will not run in the upcoming elections as part of reform measures aimed at winning back voter trust in the party.

“I hope that all members of our party will gather strength with a spirit of unity and inclusiveness to gain the hearts of the people through self-discipline and compassion,” Kim wrote on Facebook.

Kim said he will throw himself into stabilizing the party and achieving victory in the upcoming elections to keep the main opposition Democratic Party in check.

His resignation came nine months after he was elected as the party leader at a convention with the support of Yoon.

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.