Jang Dong-hyuk, the leader of the People Power Party in South Korea, publicly stated that the principle of the presumption of innocence should apply to former President Yoon Suk-yeol, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for his actions deemed treasonous. This statement has drawn fierce backlash from the Citizens' Alliance, which condemned Jang for undermining citizens who stood against his actions during what they classify as treason. They argued that rather than apologizing to the citizens who have suffered for 443 days, Jang reiterated his stance that the state of emergency is not the same as treason, further inflaming the situation.

During a press conference, Jang highlighted that the People Power Party has consistently asserted that a state of emergency does not equate to treason and criticized ongoing investigations into Yoon's case as unlawful. He emphasized that the legal proceedings are still ongoing, thereby suggesting that Yoon should benefit from the presumption of innocence. However, the Citizens' Alliance responded by accusing him of misleading the public and disrespecting those who defended democracy during Yoon’s emergency declaration. They stated that Jang's insistence on denying any wrongdoing is not a responsible stance for someone in a position of public representation funded by taxpayer money.

The Citizens' Alliance stressed that the minimal expectation from the People Power Party is to acknowledge their past mistakes and take responsibility, especially considering their failure to prevent Yoon's alleged constitutional violations. They asserted that without this accountability, there is no justification for the party’s existence or its value to the public, urging leaders like Jang to be aware of the consequences of their rhetoric and actions in a democratic society.