PPP caught between opposing impeachment and preparing for early election

Despite the public opposition to the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol by the ruling People Power Party (PPP) saying that "early election" is off-limits, the party appears to be quietly preparing for a potential early election as the impeachment ruling looms next month. While potential candidates are increasing their public presence, party members seem to interact with these figures more closely.

A labor reform discussion hosted by the ruling party on Wednesday with Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Moon-soo present drew as many as 60 members, more than half the party’s total. Minister Kim, who stated just five days ago that he had no intention of running for the presidency, left the possibility open at the event, saying, “I have no comment on that.” Likewise, a total of 48 lawmakers, including party leadership, attended a debate on constitutional reform held last week by Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon.

Former party leader Han Dong-hoon implied that he would soon return by releasing a book on martial law and the impeachment crisis. Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo openly declared, "I have always been on the list of presidential candidates." At the same time, lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo has signaled that he is preparing his Plan B. Former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min also seems to be warming up for a race, saying that he hopes to make amends with former President Park Geun-hye.

Their preparations for a possible early election run counter to the party leaders’ efforts to voice against impeachment. They have attended pro-Yoon protests while criticizing the Constitutional Court for being allegedly biased against President Yoon. Just two weeks ago, the party’s emergency committee chairman, Kwon Young-se, called on the party not to create an atmosphere conducive to early election even while the impeachment ruling is still in the air. However, many lawmakers who have visited the Constitutional Court in protest or attended anti-impeachment rallies overlap with those who have joined the meetings with Minister Kim and Mayor Oh. This is why the party says internally that the members do not even mention any word related to “early election” during the day. Still, when they gather in the evening, most start talking about early elections.

The discrepancy in their attitudes shows that the ruling party is in an awkward position to go against the impeachment of President Yoon with his strong supporters in mind and prepare itself for the possibility of an early election at the same time. In fact, the party has driven itself into this dilemma arising from its failure to distance itself from President Yoon’s illegal martial law declaration. Consequently, the party's support base is fragmented, with potential candidates struggling to cement their status in public polls.