{"id":2203338,"date":"2024-01-03T17:33:08","date_gmt":"2024-01-03T08:33:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/?p=2203338"},"modified":"2024-01-04T17:04:11","modified_gmt":"2024-01-04T08:04:11","slug":"leadership-challenges-shake-south-koreas-major-parties-before-general-election","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2024\/01\/leadership-challenges-shake-south-koreas-major-parties-before-general-election\/","title":{"rendered":"Leadership challenges shake South Korea\u2019s major parties before general election"},"content":{"rendered":"
As South Korea approaches its general elections on April 10, the political scene is fraught with challenges for both the ruling People Power Party (PPP) and the main opposition Democratic Party (DP). These elections are pivotal, serving as a midterm assessment of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration.<\/span><\/p>\n CHALLENGES CONFRONTING THE RULING PARTY<\/b><\/p>\n The PPP and Yoon have had to deal with persistently low approval ratings within the <\/span>30% range<\/span><\/a>. The party\u2019s challenges are compounded by the DP-controlled National Assembly\u2019s passage of the \u201c<\/span>Kim Keon-hee Special Prosecutor Act<\/span><\/a>\u201d \u2014 a bill to establish a special counsel probe into the first lady\u2019s alleged stock manipulation.<\/span><\/p>\n Yoon <\/span>stated<\/span><\/a> on Dec. 28 that he would veto the bill, which forces the PPP to expend political capital to defend the president and the first lady, diverting from its legislative priorities. This stance is further exacerbated by recent <\/span>polls<\/span><\/a> that indicate that 70% of voters support the law.<\/span><\/p>\n Yoon\u2019s likely veto could pose a significant challenge to the PPP. The situation highlights the party\u2019s need for a strategic approach to decision-making and policy implementation, according to Park Sung-min, a political commentator and the founder of MIN Consulting.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe president has said repeatedly that he wishes to implement three major reforms: pension, labor and education. But he hasn\u2019t been able to do so because of the ruling party\u2019s minority status in the National Assembly,\u201d Park Sung-min told <\/span>Korea Pro<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhile bipartisan support to push for pension reform is possible, the PPP needs a stronger majority to push ahead with education and labor reforms. But winning enough votes to retake the majority will be difficult given current electoral projections,\u201d he added.<\/span><\/p>\n Park Si-young, a political analyst and former head of WinG Korea Consulting, concurred with Park Sung-min\u2019s assessment.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe extent of the public\u2019s criticism of the government\u2019s performance is substantial and represents the PPP\u2019s most significant problem,\u201d Park Si-young said.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe issue the Yoon administration faces is whether it can address citizens\u2019 concerns and have that lead to electoral gains,\u201d Jo Sung-Hwan, a professor at Kyonggi University Graduate School of Political Studies, told <\/span>Korea Pro<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIn the current political climate, it appears that polls have difficulty with reflecting objectivity and neutrality, making it more difficult to predict the electoral outcome,\u201d Jo explained to <\/span>Korea Pro<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n