South Korea’s ruling People Power Party wrapped up the 2024 national convention on Tuesday with Han Dong-hoon back at its helm. At the finale of the convention in Ilsan, Gyeonggi Province, Han emerged victorious in the contentious four-way race to be the party’s chair. He won more than 62 percent of votes from 408,272 registered voters who cast their ballots, according to the party’s final count.
In his victory speech, he said that he wanted to transform his party into “a party that works for the South Korean people.” “Our party must transcend divisions and factions to stand for all South Koreans, not just for those who chose us,” he said. He said that under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration, South Korea has “restored a value-based diplomacy” and “fixed the alliance with the US.
” “We must stand united against forces that threaten our democracy in these precarious times, and build a party that delivers results for all.” The ruling party has been gearing up for a leadership change at the high-stakes national convention, aiming to set a new course as the president approaches lame-duck status amid faltering ratings and mounting attacks from the opposition. The convention unfolded amid worries Yoon may be turning into a lame duck president less than halfway through his five-year term.
Last month, demands to sign an online petition to impeach the president -- whose latest ratings have hovered below the 30 percent mark in some of the least favorable polls --.