PPP infighting deepens as ruling party pushes into conservative strongholds

The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) is entering the June 3 local elections with its nomination process still unsettled, as internal disputes continue to spill into the open. At the same time, the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is widening its focus to conservative regions, sensing an opportunity. The sharpest turbulence inside the PPP is centered on the Daegu mayoral race. Rep. Joo Ho-young, who was cut from the primary, has taken the matter to court. Others have staged hunger strikes or are shaving their heads in protest against the nomination committee's decisions. The dispute has not remained confined to the race itself. Instead, it has spread across the party, raising questions about how the nominations were handled and who is really in control. The polling numbers are also dropping. A Gallup Korea survey released this week showed the PPP’s approval rating at 19 percent. This marks the first time under the current leadership that the party has fallen below 20 percent. The same survey also showed that in the Daegu and North Gyeongsang region, long considered the party

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