Politics · South Korea · 1 hr ago
South Korea’s People Power Party leaders clash over flawed primary vote
A phone-voting problem disrupted a party primary for the organization chair position in Yongin Gap, South Korea.
The contest was part of the People Power Party’s selection of local party organization leaders, using a member direct-voting system for the first time.
Some eligible members reportedly did not receive the automated calls needed to vote.
Supreme Council member Yang Hyang-ja, who lost the runoff, called for a full rerun across affected contests and said she would not take part in a new vote in Yongin Gap.
Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok accepted that the Yongin Gap vote had a problem and ordered a runoff rerun there, but did not agree to a broader rerun.
Yang and party officials then clashed publicly over responsibility and the scale of the remedy.
The dispute reflects wider tensions between party factions, while the party has yet to announce a full investigation or any broader vote rerun.
A dispute over the People Power Party’s Yongin-Gap organization chief election led to a public clash among party leaders on October 15.
Supreme Council member Yang Hyang-ja called for a full rerun of the elections, saying some eligible party members had not received automated phone voting calls.
Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok acknowledged a problem in the automated voting process and decided to rerun the runoff in Yongin-Gap.
Yang said she would not take part in that rerun, citing a potential conflict of interest.
Secretary-General Jeong Hee-yong accused Yang of undermining the party’s system, while another senior member called for an investigation into the problem.
- Who
- People Power Party leaders, including Supreme Council member Yang Hyang-ja and Secretary-General Jeong Hee-yong.
- What
- They clashed over whether to rerun only the Yongin-Gap runoff or hold a broader election rerun.
- When
- October 15, 2026.
- Where
- At a People Power Party Supreme Council meeting in the National Assembly in Seoul.
- Why
- An automated phone voting problem reportedly prevented some eligible members from voting in the Yongin-Gap election.
Yang Hyang-ja and members backing a broader rerun
Party leadership members opposing her position
Scope of rerun
Yang Hyang-ja and members backing a broader rerun
Yang called for a full rerun, including elections in other areas.
Party leadership members opposing her position
Jang Dong-hyeok decided on a rerun of the Yongin-Gap runoff.
How to address the voting problem
Yang Hyang-ja and members backing a broader rerun
Yang said some members had not received voting calls and called for a full investigation.
Party leadership members opposing her position
Jeong Hee-yong said Yang had exaggerated a telecommunications company’s technical problem as a party error.
An automated phone voting problem reportedly prevented some eligible party members from voting.
Jang Dong-hyeok acknowledged a problem in the voting process and decided to rerun the Yongin-Gap runoff.
Yang said she would not take part in the rerun and called for a full rerun; party leaders argued over her position at a Supreme Council meeting.
- Disputed election
- People Power Party organization chief election in Yongin-Gap, Gyeonggi Province
- Voting method
- Automated phone voting (ARS)
- Jang Dong-hyeok’s decision
- Rerun of the Yongin-Gap runoff
- Yang Hyang-ja’s position
- Full rerun; she would not enter the Yongin-Gap runoff rerun
- Dispute date
- October 15, 2026
4 sources
What people are saying
I will not take part in this Yongin-Gap runoff rerun to eliminate any potential conflict of interest.
There should be a full rerun.
This is denying the party’s system.
Exaggerating a telecommunications company’s technical problem as a party error and officially announcing it to the media is an act against the party.