The People Power Party decided on the 31st to introduce direct election of district chapter chiefs by rank-and-file members in stages, starting with vacant chapters, scaling back a push by party leader Jang Dong-hyuk. Jang had sought to force all chapter chiefs to resign at once and hold a full round of new elections, but the plan stalled amid fierce resistance from lawmakers. Concerns remain that internal conflict could reignite, as the party signaled a sweeping audit of chapter operations.
Chung Hee-yong, the party's secretary-general, said after a Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly that the party had "decided to introduce direct election by party members gradually and in stages, reflecting opinions within the party."
This year, chapters other than those without a sitting chief will select their chiefs under the existing method, in which steering committee members cast the votes. Incumbent chiefs will stay in place until the September 15 vote to avoid leaving chapters unattended. An audit of chapter operations will follow the elections, with member evaluations accounting for 50% of the assessment.
Thirty-four chapters with no sitting chief, three where the chief's membership rights have been suspended and one where the chief has been suspended from duty will open applications for organizing committee chairs to fill the posts. After screening by the party's organizational strengthening committee, direct elections by party members will be held where more than one candidate applies.
The party will also begin revising its bylaws to institutionalize direct elections. Under the change, elections held in late August of local election years will use a party member electoral college as the default method. The revision will also codify the 50% weighting for member evaluations in operational audits.
Jang, who had pushed for mass resignations followed by fresh elections across the board, appears to have stepped back in the face of strong opposition from lawmakers. Still, some see the operational audit as a variable going forward. Depending on the results, chapter chiefs aligned with former leader Han Dong-hoon and others who have clashed with the leadership could be replaced in large numbers. Some within the leadership have called for clear standards for the audit, according to party sources.
