Interim leader Kwon Young-se of the ruling People Power Party(PPP) responded to criticism from both inside and outside the party on Thursday to the effect that the PPP should distance itself from President Yoon Suk Yeol.

Speaking at a New Year’s press conference at the National Assembly, Kwon said rather than making unnecessary efforts to create distance, the PPP needs to focus on what it needs to do to build support.

The interim leader stressed that forcefully expelling a person from a party “does not sever the relationship,” adding that he does not agree with artificially seeking to distance the party from Yoon.

Regarding a recent rise in his party’s approval ratings, Kwon said he believes that it has little to do with what his party has done, but rather more to do with the disappointing conduct of the opposition and the public’s recognition that they cannot entrust the nation to the Democratic Party.

When asked what the ruling party is doing as the main opposition DP seems to be preparing for an early presidential election, Kwon said the PPP is not thinking about that since it would involve presupposing the outcome of Yoon’s impeachment trial.

Kwon also slammed the main opposition party during the press conference, saying too many impeachments have occurred due to what he called a “parliamentary dictatorship,” adding that the country needs to restructure its systems through constitutional amendments.