Kwon, Ahn escalate feud as party faces turmoil

Infighting is escalating within the People Power Party as its leadership race intensifies, fueled by disputes over party reforms, personnel changes, and ongoing investigations linked to three special counsel probes.

Lawmakers Kwon Seong-dong and Ahn Cheol-soo have openly exchanged accusations, each blaming the other for the party’s turmoil.

On Tuesday, Kwon targeted Ahn, saying, “His melodramatic victim act only reinforces his nickname as Yeouido’s ultimate ‘beta male.’” He was responding to Ahn’s campaign launch the previous day, where Ahn shared a text message from prosecutors seeking his cooperation in a rebellion-related investigation. Ahn condemned the move as an attempt to portray the entire party as treasonous.

Kwon, who earlier mocked Ahn’s leadership as “beta male politics” following Ahn’s resignation as innovation committee chair, continued his attack. “Ahn’s making a fuss over a single message from prosecutors,” Kwon said. “He voted for an unconstitutional special counsel bill and then pushed his fellow party members off a cliff by calling for their purge.”

Kwon added, “Ahn stood by smiling while others were being targeted, but now that he’s received a mere request for cooperation, he cries ‘political witch hunt.’ It’s laughable.”

Ahn fired back by sharing a Telegram screenshot on Facebook from July 2022, showing an exchange between Kwon, then floor leader, and then-President Yoon Suk Yeol. In the messages, Yoon described former party leader Lee Jun-seok as someone who only caused internal strife. Kwon responded, “We’ll follow your will and show unity.” Yoon replied with a cherry emoji. Ahn captioned the post: “Lackey.”