Woo Sang-ho "Scream Faction, Reveal Your Names and Make Your Claims"

As criticism arose mainly from the non-Lee faction regarding the Party Affairs Committee's decision to maintain Lee Jae-myung's position as the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, Democratic Party lawmaker Woo Sang-ho criticized, saying, "Make your claims with your real name."

On the 23rd, Woo said on KBS's 'Choi Kyung-young's Strongest Current Affairs,' "Those who make such claims should not do so anonymously but rather reveal their names and make their claims. I don't understand why politicians keep hiding their names when making claims."

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the launch meeting of the Task Force for Responding to the Four Major Livelihood Crises held at the National Assembly on the 22nd. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Although Lee was indicted the previous day on charges including breach of trust related to Daejang-dong and Seongnam FC, the Democratic Party's Party Affairs Committee decided not to apply Article 80 of the party rules, which suspends the duties of indicted party officials, to Lee. The reason given was "political oppression." However, since this decision was based on a clause established after Lee's election as party leader, criticism of "self-relief" has emerged, mainly from the non-Lee faction.

Woo said, "There is no problem in applying the party rules regarding oppression," and added, "Most of the non-Lee faction lawmakers I have met still believe the prosecution's investigation is wrong and that we should fight together on this issue."

He also added that the Party Affairs Committee's decision was not new. He said, "Our party has already defined the prosecution's investigation as unfair political oppression several times in party meetings, and we have even held multiple rallies with party members condemning prosecutorial dictatorship," adding, "The Democratic Party has long regarded this prosecution investigation as excessive prosecutorial oppression, so yesterday's Party Affairs Committee resolution was nothing new but merely a procedural confirmation of what the party has already confirmed several times."

The People Power Party is pushing for the waiver of immunity from arrest as the party line regarding the arrest consent motion for their own lawmaker Ha Young-je. This targets Lee, who has not relinquished immunity from arrest, revealing an intention to strengthen the Democratic Party's "bulletproof" frame. Some lawmakers are collecting signatures from party members pledging to waive immunity from arrest.

Regarding this, Woo said, "If you are collecting signatures for consent to waive immunity from arrest, then Mr. Ha will continue not to be detained," adding, "But he is also appealing for leniency from us. Isn't that contradictory behavior?"

When asked by the host whether it is a fact that the Democratic Party appealed for leniency regarding the arrest consent motion, Woo replied, "That is what is being reported." Contrary to Woo's claim, it was Ha's side that requested leniency at the time of sentencing, and there is no confirmed report that the People Power Party appealed for leniency.

People Power Party lawmaker Ha Tae-kyung also appeared on the same radio program and said, "(Ha Young-je) personally sent texts to all lawmakers saying that the media reports are not true, etc.," adding, "As far as I know, the floor leader expressed the position that 'we have no choice but to follow the principle when it comes to the arrest consent motion.'"