Voices Grow for "Supreme Council Members to Be Elected Directly by Party Members and the Public Through a Party Convention"

On the 9th, the Central Committee approved the election, but party leadership candidates also demand a change in the election method

After the exit poll results of the April 7 by-election were announced, indicating the likely victory of Oh Se-hoon, the People Power Party candidate for Seoul mayor, all party officials left the vote counting situation room set up at the Democratic Party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, showing a somber atmosphere. Photo by National Assembly Press Photographers Group

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] The Democratic Party of Korea is expected to elect its Supreme Council members at the party convention rather than through the Central Committee.

Originally, the Democratic Party planned to elect the Supreme Council members through the Central Committee, which is composed of lawmakers and local government heads, but currently, there is a growing opinion that general party members and the public should directly elect them at the party convention held to choose the party leader.

On the afternoon of the 11th, the party's Emergency Response Committee reportedly held a closed-door meeting at the National Assembly to discuss this matter, including measures to recover from the by-election defeat. Since party leadership candidates are also demanding a change in the election method, reconsideration has become inevitable.

Previously, following the by-election defeat on the 8th, all Supreme Council members resigned, and it was decided that the new Supreme Council members would be elected by the Central Committee. This decision was approved at the party affairs committee meeting on the 9th. This is in accordance with the party constitution and regulations, which allow the Supreme Council by-election to be conducted by the Central Committee, unlike the party leader election.

However, several lawmakers, including party leadership candidates Woo Won-sik and Hong Young-pyo, have strongly voiced the opinion that the Supreme Council members should also be directly elected by party members and the public at the party convention, emphasizing the need to show a commitment to reform.

The Democratic Party is expected to make a final decision on changing the Supreme Council election method at the Emergency Response Committee level, and then hold a party affairs committee meeting to reapprove it.