Will Kim Jong-in Lead the Innovation Campaign for South Korea’s People Power Party?

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With Oh Se-hoon, who twice refused to apply for the People Power Party’s nomination, at the center of calls to launch an “Innovation Campaign Committee,” some party members are urging that former emergency committee chair Kim Chong-in be appointed as the committee’s leader.

Park Jung-hoon, a People Power Party lawmaker aligned with the pro‑Han Dong‑hoon faction, told MBC radio on the 13th that Oh and former chair Kim may be coordinating, and that the innovation committee chair Oh seeks is likely Kim Chong‑in.

Park said he understands the idea of appointing Kim Chong‑in as innovation campaign chair is being seriously considered. He added that Oh is demanding not only an innovation committee but also personnel changes. “We cannot run this election with Jang Dong‑hyuk as the party’s public face,” Park said. “That’s why they want a different face for the innovation committee.” He criticized Jang for repeatedly defending martial law, for refusing to apologize after the first‑instance ruling against Yoon Suk‑yeol, and for saying he would sever ties with those calling for an apology.

Earlier, Oh reiterated his refusal to apply for the party nomination and again urged Jang to launch the innovation committee immediately. When reporters asked whether he wanted an innovation committee that excluded Jang, Oh said the concept of an innovation committee inherently implies that. He argued that bringing in a campaign chair with the credentials to faithfully implement the party line adopted in the plenary resolution would help dispel public confusion around the “Yoon Again” line. If the new chair becomes the party’s brand and public face in the campaign, Oh added, the metropolitan‑area races would be competitive.

Park noted that the conservative camp lacks strong figures right now. He pointed to Kim Chong‑in’s track record in steering similar efforts during the Park Geun‑hye and Moon Jae‑in eras and said that experience could form the basis for an innovation committee. But he acknowledged the proposal could clash with the party’s power bloc, so its fate is uncertain.

Park also praised Oh’s decision not to file for the party nomination even after the filing period was extended, saying Oh is using his candidacy strategically to try to change the party. By delaying his nomination, Oh is creating leverage, Park said. Oh has pressed for concrete steps that would show Jang’s willingness to move away from the “Yoon Again” line; Park said only visible action from Jang would improve the party’s standing in the Seoul‑area races.

Kim Jae‑seop, a member of the party’s moderate wing, also told SBS radio that an innovation campaign committee is essential. “What’s troubling is Jang’s personal stance,” Kim said. “He needs to think about the party.”

Kim, who served under Kim Chong‑in on the party’s emergency committee during the 2020 campaign when the predecessor United Future Party prepared for the general election, recalled that young figures, including himself, were part of that effort and that Kim Chong‑in “wielded the knife decisively.” “We are thinking of that level of innovation,” he said. “If Jang refuses the innovation committee, it may be better to abandon the Seoul races.”

Responding to senior party official Cho Kwang‑han’s remark that the party has a “Plan B” and “Plan C” to replace Oh, Kim criticized the comment as intimidation. “Given the disastrous poll numbers, talking about some unknown Plan B or C is a way of threatening Oh,” he said.

Party leaders, meanwhile, have taken a negative stance on launching an innovation committee. They say they cannot accept calls for Jang to step back to a secondary role. Chief spokesman Park Seong‑hoon told reporters, “If the proposal means removing a party leader who was elected by party members’ votes, I cannot accept that as ‘innovation.’ That would only create new conflict and division. Innovation is not about destroying leadership; it is about showing new change built on current leadership.”