Sung Il-jong: "'Democratic Party that said 'Different Class' flips party rules... President should clarify position'"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Seong Il-jong, Emergency Response Committee member of the People Power Party, criticized the Democratic Party of Korea for deciding to field candidates in the by-elections, saying they "reversed the promises made by the president five years ago."

Seong appeared on KBS Radio's "Kim Kyung-rae's Strongest Current Affairs" on the morning of the 30th and said, "It's not a problem that it's specified in the party rules, but isn't there a greater moral superiority? Haven't they been saying 'the Democratic Party is in a different class'?"

This was a jab at Democratic Party lawmaker Ahn Min-seok, who earlier praised the current government's response to the killing of our public officials and said, "The Park Geun-hye administration and the Moon Jae-in administration are governments in completely different classes."

Seong said, "(Former Mayors Park Won-soon and Oh Keo-don, who caused the by-elections, both caused great wounds to the people due to sexual misconduct scandals," adding, "People in the presidential race committed sexual misconduct, and now they are reversing their promise not to field candidates in this regard."

He said, "President Moon (when he was party leader five years ago) promised in Article 96, Paragraph 2 of the party rules that 'when elected public officials lose their position due to corruption or serious misconduct, no candidates will be fielded,' and this was included in the party rules," adding, "I hope the president will respond to this issue."

Regarding the Democratic Party's decision to field candidates and face public judgment, Seong criticized it as "wordplay," saying, "The administration blocked a lot of information to cover up the cases of former Mayors Park and Oh, and isn't it still the same? Then to ask the public for responsibility is an unacceptable sophistry and lowers the dignity of politics."

When asked by the host whether there would be an apology from the party regarding the verdict on former President Lee Myung-bak, Seong said, "I think the commander-in-chief (Kim Jong-in) will make that judgment," and refrained from elaborating, calling it a "political judgment."

Regarding calls within the party for an "early party convention," he said, "Assemblyman Cho Kyung-tae has always believed that 'we should lead the party ourselves,' and he said this even before the Emergency Response Committee chairman was brought in," adding, "Even if an early party convention is held, the by-elections will be over by the end of April next year, so advancing it would only gain about two months at most. Would that really have a significant effect on the party?"