The defeat of conservative People Power Party(PPP) candidate Kim Moon-soo in the 21st presidential election has dealt a huge blow to his party, with the Democratic Party regaining its ruling bloc status for the first time in three years.

While neither PPP interim chief Kim Yong-tae nor PPP floor leader Kweon Seong-dong has made any statement taking responsibility for Kim’s defeat, a faction close to former PPP leader Han Dong-hoon is calling on the party leadership to resign en masse.

Han, who competed against Kim in the party primary, said on social media that the public has issued an exit order to the defenders of the illegitimate use of martial law and their outdated politics.

Another former primary candidate, PPP campaign committee co-chair Ahn Cheol-soo, told Yonhap News that it wasn’t right for supporters and opponents of President Yoon Suk Yeol to form pro- and anti-impeachment camps and bicker with each other in the primary.

Despite such calls, there appear to be differences of opinion within the party on whether to pursue a change of leadership, and if so when and how.

While Rep. Park Jeong-hun, a member of the pro-Han faction, posted a message on social media calling for a new floor leader, a PPP lawmaker who is close to Yoon told Yonhap that it is too soon for the current leadership to resign.