Jin Joongkwon Tells Chung Cheongrae, Who Opposed More Rental Housing in Sangam-dong, to "Leave the Party... This Is Geum Taeseop Season 2"

"If You Don't Support the Party Line, You Shouldn't Be in the Party"
Citing Chung Cheongrae's Past Remarks

Jin Joongkwon, Former Professor at Dongyang University / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy, Reporter Lim Juhyung] As Chung Cheongrae, a lawmaker from the Democratic Party of Korea, publicly opposed the government's plan to supply public rental housing in the Seoul metropolitan area, Jin Joongkwon, former professor at Dongyang University, sarcastically told him to "leave the party."

On the 4th, Jin wrote on his Facebook page, "Chung Cheongrae, is there any reason for you to remain in the Democratic Party?" He continued, "A lawmaker has dared to defy the party line, so get ready for some 'seasoning.' Lawmakers who do not follow the party line should be thoroughly 'seasoned.'" (Note: 'seasoning' is a Korean slang term for public criticism or backlash.)

He went on to say, "Representative Chung, please leave the party. Expanding public rental housing was a presidential pledge, and it was also a Democratic Party pledge during the April 15 general election," adding, "This is like Geum Taeseop Season 2."

He further commented, "A party has its own identity, direction, and platform. If the president made a pledge and the party adopted it as its official stance, then anyone who does not support it should not be part of the Democratic Party," mocking Chung.

This is interpreted as a criticism of Chung by drawing a parallel to the situation last December, when former Democratic Party lawmaker Geum Taeseop received intense criticism from some party members for abstaining from voting on the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) bill in the National Assembly, thereby defying the party line.

In particular, at that time, Chung appeared on a radio program and stated that Geum should have received a heavy disciplinary action, not just a light one.

Back then, Chung said, "A party is a political organization made up of people who share the same direction, the same path, and the same identity," adding, "If someone thinks, 'I am different from the Democratic Party,' then there is no reason for them to remain in the party."

Democratic Party lawmaker Chung Cheongrae opposed the government's large-scale public rental housing supply plan in a post on his Facebook on the 4th. / Photo by Facebook capture

Meanwhile, on the morning of the 4th, the government announced a plan to supply a large-scale public rental housing project totaling 132,000 units by designating new housing sites in areas such as the unsold land at Sangam DMC (Digital Media City), the vehicle inspection center, and the tow truck storage site, all located in Chung's constituency (Mapo-eul).

However, Chung publicly opposed this plan. In a post on his Facebook page that afternoon, he pointed out, "The rental housing ratio in Sangam-dong is already 47%," and questioned, "Do we really need to build more rental housing here?"

He added, "I learned about this through news articles after hearing the residents' protests," and expressed his frustration by saying, "Neither the mayor of Mapo District nor I knew anything about this before the announcement. It is bewildering."

He continued, "It's not as if I would oppose President Moon Jaein's housing policy," but emphasized, "How can such a unilateral announcement be made without any prior consultation with the residents, the Mapo District Office, or the local member of the National Assembly? The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport simply making an announcement and expecting everyone to follow is a serious problem."

Regarding the party leadership, he urged, "There needs to be a body that listens carefully to the voices of opposition on the ground and considers countermeasures."