Lee's Position 'Let's Vote' to Lee Nak-yeon's 'Expulsion'
Pro-Myeong Faction's 'Organized Defection Votes' Draw Attention
Anti-Myeong Faction Protests 'Forced to Step on the Cross'
Although the arrest motion against Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, was narrowly rejected in the National Assembly plenary session, the aftermath caused by more than 30 dissenting votes is still ongoing. Voices calling for a party member vote on Lee's position and demands to expel former leader Lee Nak-yeon have emerged, intensifying internal party strife that blatantly reveals so-called 'purges' and 'hit lists.'
According to political circles on the 2nd, following demands for the expulsion and disciplinary action against former emergency committee member Park Ji-hyun, who advocated for the approval of the arrest motion, the focus has now shifted to former leader Lee Nak-yeon, who was a rival in the last presidential primary. On the party's petition board, a post calling for Lee's 'permanent expulsion' has garnered over 20,000 supporters. There are claims that Lee Nak-yeon is behind the mass dissenting votes, and since the party leadership had expected an 'overwhelming rejection,' they appear to be trying to find reasons for the unexpected result at all costs. However, by attributing the cause of the dissenting votes to a 'specific person,' internal party discord continues.
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is seen conversing with fellow lawmakers after delivering a personal statement regarding the submission of a motion for his arrest during the plenary session held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 27th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@
On the same day, Lee Sang-min, a prominent non-Lee faction member of the Democratic Party, appeared on YTN Radio and said, "It is natural and even enviable to like and follow a particular politician, but if that leads to personal insults or excessive pressure on others, it causes more harm than good." He criticized, "Our party's direction should be to correct such distorted or wrong behaviors, but we have not yet completely shed such appearances."
Lee, who is still receiving 'text bombings' from some hardline party members, emphasized, "Not all lawmakers are divided simply into 'non-Lee' and 'pro-Lee' factions," adding, "It is wrong to label individual lawmakers as (pro-Lee or non-Lee) in itself."
Regarding the mentions of 'purges' and 'hit lists,' he expressed, "During the Nazi era, Christians were forced to trample on crosses to be identified. Such political culture should not exist in the Democratic Party, which values democracy as its highest principle."
Party critic Jo Eung-chun also criticized on KBS Radio the 'dissent vote purges' mentioned by some hardline supporters and pro-Lee lawmakers, saying, "It feels very much like being forced to trample on a cross."
Jo said, "After the vote on the arrest motion, some so-called pro-Lee lawmakers have been saying unpleasant things like '(non-Lee faction) tried to trade nomination rights guarantees, and when that failed, they staged this rebellion and used despicable tricks.' It would be more comfortable to cooperate with the Lee-led system that holds the nomination rights, so there is no need to do that."
He also addressed the 'text bombings' from hardline supporters, saying, "I have endured it for seven years, so I have developed immunity, but those who experienced it for the first time were surprised and said, 'I voted against it.' However, if the intensity increases, it might backfire." This implies that the hardline supporters' 'Lee Jae-myung faction creation' purge efforts could have the opposite effect and flow in the opposite direction.
However, resentment toward the dissenting votes is unlikely to subside easily, especially among the pro-Lee faction.
On the 27th, during the vote counting process for the arrest consent bill against National Assembly member Lee Jae-myung at the 8th plenary session of the 403rd National Assembly (extraordinary session) held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, the ballot counters are debating the validity of invalid ballots. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@
On the same day, pro-Lee lawmaker Kim Nam-guk raised his voice on CBS Radio toward lawmakers who cast dissenting votes, saying they gave an excuse for party division. Kim said, "I believe that casting dissenting votes this time gave the opposition (People Power Party) an opportunity to attack by framing the Democratic Party as divided in the media." He emphasized, "We must move forward as a 'unified front' and 'integration' according to the will of the people and party members."
Kim said, "Non-Lee faction lawmakers told the leader to 'step down from the party leadership.' However, when Lee expressed at a press conference on the 23rd of last month that he would not step down, they showed their power by passing the arrest motion. It was very inappropriate because it was like pushing comrades who should fight together off a cliff."
He added, "Instead of doing something secretly behind the scenes, we need to openly discuss and find a way to save the party together."
Regarding pro-Lee lawmaker Ahn Min-seok's earlier call for a party-wide vote to reaffirm Lee's leadership, Kim said, "I understand the intention, but this is usually said when the party leadership makes completely wrong decisions and loses legitimacy. However, the party leadership has made the right decisions, and both party members and the public are fully supporting them. Therefore, a party-wide vote is not an effective way to resolve the current crisis."
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