Lee Jung-hyun, who heads the candidate management committee for South Korea's ruling People's Power Party, asserted the necessity of courage in forming alliances with diverse political groups as the country approaches local elections and a parliamentary by-election. He advocated that significant political transitions often arise from collaborations and compromises, and to enact genuine change, it is essential to reach out and partner with those beyond one's immediate political sphere. Drawing parallels from historical instances such as the merger of three parties under former President Kim Young-sam and the DJP coalition under former President Kim Dae-jung, Lee stressed that the upcoming candidate selections should also reflect this renewed political role.

Moreover, he highlighted the importance of fostering a new generation within politics by providing greater opportunities for young candidates and newcomers, indicating that such a generational shift could reinvigorate public trust in political reform. The aim is not only to achieve party unity but also to ensure that capable individuals from various backgrounds can emerge as local government leaders.

In response, the opposition Democratic Party criticized the People's Power Party for its internal purges, particularly amidst the backdrop of severe political factionalism. Spokesperson Park Kyung-mi condemned recent actions aimed at sidelining critical voices within the party while praising figures aligned with authoritarian governance. Park suggested that this reflects a dangerous culture of fear politics, calling for a halt to such practices and urging the party to rethink its approaches to governance and candidate selection, particularly in light of past events surrounding the impeachment proceedings.