Jodongyeon Announces Resignation... Ruling Party Calls It a "Social Honor Killing"

Democratic Party Counterattack... Gaseyeon Accusation
Song Young-gil "Is This a Personal Attack?"
Red Light on Campaign Committee Reform and Talent Recruitment

Professor Jo Dong-yeon of Seokyeong University, who was recruited as the co-chairman of the Democratic Party of Korea's joint election campaign committee, is attending the welcoming event held at the central party office in Seoul on the 30th and delivering a greeting./Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporters Koo Chae-eun and Jeon Jin-young] Jo Dong-yeon, the Standing Election Committee Chairperson of the Democratic Party of Korea, who was attacked by conservative YouTubers over reasons for divorce such as extramarital children, officially expressed his intention to resign three days after his appointment on the 3rd. The Democratic Party, pressured by public opinion, took a counterattack stance, calling his resignation decision “a character assassination by the opposition and the media.” The Democratic Party’s Legal Support Team filed complaints against lawyer Kang Yong-seok and the ‘Garosero Research Institute’ for defamation of candidates under the Public Official Election Act and defamation under the Information and Communications Network Act for raising personal life controversies.

Song Young-gil, leader of the Democratic Party, told reporters at the party leader’s office in the National Assembly that Jo had expressed his intention to resign over the phone, saying, “He is not a candidate for the National Assembly or a ministerial nominee, so I hope the public will judge whether it is appropriate to attack his family or personal life over a divorce that happened 10 years ago. This is social character assassination, no different from a heinous crime.” Kang Hoon-sik, head of the Election Committee’s Strategic Planning Headquarters, also criticized on the radio that day, “There was a YouTuber who even revealed the name of Jo’s child,” calling it “excessive.” This perception is shared even within the ruling party. Lawmaker Yang Yi-won-young said on social media, “That is Professor Jo’s private life, and there is no need to pry.”

Song Young-gil, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is making a statement on March 3 in front of the party leader's office at the National Assembly regarding the personal life controversy of Co-Chairman Jo Dong-yeon./Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

However, when the controversy first arose, on the 2nd, candidate Lee Jae-myung said he would “wait for the public’s judgment,” and on the same day, Baek Hye-ryun, head of the Democratic Party’s Election Committee National Talent Committee, made remarks suggesting that “if true, public sentiment should be considered.” This has led to criticism that the Election Committee tacitly allowed the criticism against Jo and effectively induced his voluntary resignation. Jo’s voluntary resignation has put a red light on the reform and youth talent recruitment efforts that ‘Lee Jae-myung’s Democratic Party’ had been accelerating.

Meanwhile, Yang Tae-jung, deputy head of the Democratic Party Election Committee’s Legal Support Team, said that morning, “The ‘Garosero Research Institute’ committed an inhumane and vicious act by revealing the real name and birth date of Jo’s child, trampling on his dignity,” and announced that they would file a complaint with the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office for violations of the Public Official Election Act (defamation of candidates) and the Information and Communications Network Act (defamation). This is the third time the Democratic Party has filed a complaint against the Garosero Research Institute. Previously, the Democratic Party had filed complaints against the Garosero Research Institute for spreading false information related to candidate Lee’s wife Kim Hye-kyung’s ‘fall accident’ and Lee’s ‘gangster connections.’