Han Byung-do tells Jang Dong-hyeok: “Issue a formal apology on behalf of the party before Dec. 3”

[Financial News] Han Byung-do, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), on the 12th called on Jang Dong-hyeok, leader of the People Power Party (PPP), to issue a formal apology on behalf of his party before the second anniversary of the 2024 South Korean martial law crisis. With infighting continuing within the PPP over whether to apologize for martial law, Han was pressing Jang to state his position responsibly.
Han said this at a policy coordination meeting held at the National Assembly that day: “At a time when even a groveling apology before the people would not be enough, it is astonishing that they are fighting over whether to apologize at all instead of discussing how to apologize.”
Within the PPP, divisions over the party’s position continue over whether to issue an additional party-level apology ahead of the second anniversary of the martial law declaration. While Jang and some members of the party leadership have expressed opposition to repeated apologies, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and lawmaker Yoon Sang-hyun, among others, are urging the party to apologize again in order to reform itself.
Han criticized Jang, saying, “Jang Dong-hyeok argued that an apology for martial law would only divide the party’s support base and lead to lower approval ratings, and even portrayed calls for an apology as an attempt to undermine the party leadership.” He added, “That is an admission that, even in the face of an illegal martial law declaration that trampled on the constitutional order, extending his own political life comes first.”

[email protected] Jiwon Song Reporter