Kim Jong-in on Confusion over 'Cha Myung-jin's Expulsion': "As I Said"... Public Apology Tomorrow

My Cautious Approach Within the Party: "It Will Happen Just as I Said"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyemin] Kim Jong-in, the overall election committee chairman of the United Future Party, reiterated his intention to immediately expel Cha Myung-jin, the Gyeonggi Bucheon-byeong candidate, who sparked controversy again over his 'Sewol Ferry slanderous remarks.' Chairman Kim plans to hold an emergency press conference on the morning of the 9th to issue a public apology for the repeated slanderous remarks controversy.

On the afternoon of the 8th, after a campaign rally in Cheonan, Chungnam, Chairman Kim told reporters regarding some cautious opinions within the party about 'expulsion,' "I will expel him as I said, so don't worry," making his stance clear. He drew a line by saying about candidate Cha, "He is a person who does not even know what he himself has said."

Earlier, candidate Cha caused controversy by claiming at a debate hosted by OBS, referring to a media report, that "Sewol Ferry volunteers and Sewol Ferry bereaved families engaged in indescribably immoral acts inside a tent." This was said in the process of justifying his previous criticism in April last year, when he accused the Sewol Ferry bereaved families of "exploiting the situation shamelessly."

As the controversy escalated, the party immediately considered expulsion. Chairman Kim formalized this by saying, "Candidates for the National Assembly must be careful with their words. They must not speak recklessly," and added, "One person's actions can harm many other candidates, so I told them to take quick action."

However, some resistance to the expulsion of candidate Cha was sensed within the party afterward. Lee Jin-bok, the overall election headquarters chief, told reporters, "We cannot judge just by some articles without even listening to candidate Cha's broadcast," and said they would make an internal decision after watching the broadcast. He added, "We must not cause any unfairness," and said, "There is also a scent of malicious intent that opposing candidates are trying to exploit this."

Although there is confusion due to differing opinions within the party, since Chairman Kim said, "I will do as I said, so don't worry," and took the strong measure of a 'public apology,' it is expected that expulsion is highly likely. Chairman Kim is known to present measures to prevent slanderous remarks along with the public apology on the 9th.