▲ 장동혁 국민의힘 대표가 7일 서울 여의도 당사에서 긴급 기자회견을 열고 당 쇄신안 발표를 하고 있다.   © (공동취재) 2026.01.07 © 뉴시스

【브레이크뉴스 대구】이성현 기자=국민의힘 장동혁 대표가 윤석열 전 대통령의 비상계엄에 대해 “상황에 맞지 않는 잘못된 수단이었다”며 사과 입장을 밝힌 가운데, 이를 둘러싼 당 안팎과 대구·경북 지역의 반응이 엇갈리고 있다.

장 대표는 7일 서울 여의도 중앙당사에서 기자회견을 열고 “국정 운영의 한 축이었던 여당으로서 제 역할을 다하지 못했다”며 국민에게 사과했다. 이어 “과거의 잘못을 되풀이하지 않겠다”며 “계엄과 탄핵의 강을 건너 미래로 나아가겠다”고 밝혔다.

다만 윤 전 대통령과의 정치적 관계 정리 여부나 비상계엄의 불법성에 대해서는 구체적인 언급을 하지 않았다.

이에 대해 일부 지지층에서는 긍정적인 반응이 나왔다. 온라인상에서는 “이제라도 사과한 것은 의미 있다”, “변화의 시작”이라는 평가와 함께 “응원한다”, “최소한의 반성은 시작됐다”는 댓글도 이어졌다.

반면 비판적인 목소리도 적지 않다. “사과가 너무 늦었다”, “말뿐인 약속은 지겹다”, “진정성이 느껴지지 않는다”는 반응과 함께 사과 시점과 형식을 문제 삼는 의견도 나왔다.

특히 윤 전 대통령과의 관계를 명확히 정리하지 않은 점을 두고 비판이 집중됐다. 일부 누리꾼들은 “절연 없는 사과는 보여주기식에 불과하다”, “당 지도부를 신뢰하기 어렵다”며 회의적인 반응을 보였다.

대구·경북 지역 국민의힘 당원들 사이에서도 평가가 엇갈렸다. 일부는 “여론이 분열될 시기가 아니다”, “지금은 당의 단결이 우선”이라며 장 대표의 행보에 우려를 나타냈다. 반면 다른 당원들은 “잘못을 인정하는 데 너무 늦었다”, “빠르게 책임을 인정하지 않으니 신뢰를 잃는 것”이라고 지적했다.

장 대표가 기자회견에서 이재명 정부를 ‘독재’로 규정하며 정치 연대를 언급한 데 대해서도 평가가 갈렸다. 야당으로서의 정권 견제라는 의견이 있는 반면, “자기반성 없는 공세는 설득력이 떨어진다”는 비판도 제기됐다.

이번 사과와 쇄신 선언을 두고 국민의힘이 실제 변화로 이어갈 수 있을지, 향후 구체적인 후속 조치에 관심이 쏠리고 있다.

<구글 번역으로 번역한 영문 기사의 전문 입니다. 번역에 오류가 있을 수 있음을 밝힙니다.>

 "I apologized, but trust remains"… Mixed reactions to Jang Dong-hyuk's declaration of reform

People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk has issued an apology for former President Yoon Seok-yeol's martial law, stating that it was "a wrong measure that was not appropriate to the situation." Reactions are mixed within the party and among residents of Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province. While some see it as a start of change, others are questioning its sincerity and accountability.

On the 7th, Jang held a press conference at the party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, and apologized to the public, stating, "As the ruling party, which has been a pillar of state governance, we failed to fulfill our role." He emphasized, "We will not repeat the mistakes of the past" and "We will cross the river of martial law and impeachment and move forward into the future." However, he avoided specifics on whether he would sever ties with former President Yoon or the illegality of martial law.

Some supporters responded, saying, "It's meaningful that he apologized and called for change now," and "We will always support him." In fact, many online comments were positive, with comments like, "I support you, Representative," and "At least some reflection has begun."

However, criticism and distrust were also strong. One netizen remarked, "Promises are tiresome. It's time to show something." Another questioned the sincerity of the apology, saying, "How can it take a year to apologize when you know you did something wrong?" Others responded, "There was no press conference, and your attitude lacks sincerity."

Criticism focused particularly on the failure to clearly resolve the relationship with former President Yoon. Others stated, "Without a break with Yoon Kun-hee, this is nothing more than a show of apology." Others argued, "There are too many issues, such as the ethics committee issue and the controversy surrounding the party membership, that are undermining trust in the party leadership." This suggests a growing fatigue with the party's focus on the "future" without clearly addressing its structural problems and where accountability lies.

Similar reactions were expressed among People Power Party members in the Daegu and Gyeongbuk regions. Those critical of the Lee Jae-myung administration expressed concern about Representative Jang's attempts to distance himself from former President Yoon. They argued, "We need to unite more, not let public opinion become divided." Conversely, other party members argued, "A delayed response is too late. We need to quickly acknowledge our mistakes and move on to further discussions. We've been taking all the blame, just trying to please everyone. Who would believe our sincerity if we acted this way now?" They added, "That's why we're being hated and criticized even more. There's a reason the public doesn't trust us."

Representative Jang's reference to the Lee Jae-myung administration as a "dictatorship" and his mention of political solidarity also drew mixed reviews. Some interpreted this as "the opposition's role in keeping the government in check," while others criticized it as "unconvincing to label the other side as a dictatorship without self-reflection."

Therefore, this apology and declaration of reform are serving as a test to determine whether the People Power Party is truly at the starting point of change or whether it will remain just another empty promise. More important than the apology itself are subsequent actions, so attention is focused on what concrete measures Representative Jang Dong-hyuk and the People Power Party will take to restore trust.