Major Changes in Pro-Myeong Leadership Including Kim Seonghwan
Anti-Myeong Faction Demands 'Secretary-General Replacement, Representative Resignation'
Leadership Says Breakup Demand with Gaeddal Is "Just a Frame"
On the 27th, the Democratic Party of Korea reorganized its party positions, which had been dominated by the pro-Lee Jae-myung faction. Three-term lawmaker Kim Min-seok was appointed as the party policy committee chairman, and lawmaker Kim Seong-joo was nominated as the deputy chairman of the policy committee, including close aides of former President Moon Jae-in in the party positions. This move is a measure to resolve internal conflicts triggered by the judicial risks faced by Lee Jae-myung, but with Cho Jung-sik, the party secretary-general, who was a key demand for personnel reform by the anti-Lee faction, remaining in office, it is expected that tensions over the party position reshuffle will continue.
Park Seong-jun, the Democratic Party spokesperson, stated in a briefing at the National Assembly Communication Office on the morning of the 27th, "With Lim Seon-sook resigning today as a Supreme Council member, we have nominated lawmaker Song Gap-seok as a nominated Supreme Council member," and added, "Kim Min-seok was appointed as the policy committee chairman, and Kim Seong-joo as the senior deputy chairman of the policy committee."
Additionally, Park Sang-hyuk was replaced as the deputy secretary-general for digital strategy, and Han Byung-do was appointed as the strategic planning committee chairman. Lawmaker Kwon Chil-seung was appointed as the chief spokesperson, and lawmaker Kang Seon-woo became the female spokesperson. Spokespersons Park Seong-jun and Han Min-soo were retained.
Earlier, on the 24th, Supreme Council member Lim Seon-sook expressed her intention to resign to Lee Jae-myung, and pro-Lee faction lawmakers from the '7-member group' including Kim Seong-hwan, policy committee chairman, Kim Byung-wook, senior deputy chairman of the policy committee, Moon Jin-seok, strategic planning committee chairman, and Kim Nam-guk, future deputy secretary-general, also announced their intention to step down. At the Supreme Council meeting held that day, Lim said, "I hope that my resignation and the position of nominated Supreme Council member will be used as a means of healing the Democratic Party's conflicts and fostering unity," adding, "I expect this to be a starting point for achieving harmony and unity centered on Lee Jae-myung and for winning next year's general election and the next presidential election."
However, with Cho Jung-sik, the secretary-general, who was a key demand for personnel reform by the anti-Lee faction, remaining in office, opposition from the anti-Lee faction is expected to continue. As the secretary-general oversees the party's affairs and manages nominations for next year's general election, the anti-Lee faction has demanded the replacement of Cho, a close aide of Lee. An anti-Lee faction lawmaker told this outlet in a phone interview, "The current secretary-general has comprehensive influence over party organization personnel, finances, and nominations, so leaving him as is is problematic."
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul on the 27th. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@
Some within the anti-Lee faction are also calling for a decisive decision regarding Lee's resignation or position. An anti-Lee faction lawmaker who requested anonymity said, "This is not just a problem of party officials but fundamentally an issue of the leader himself, so reshuffling party positions is not a fundamental solution." Another lawmaker said, "The core issue now is Lee's judicial risk, and to resolve this, Lee's position must be clarified," adding, "A reshuffle with Lee remaining is useless."
Meanwhile, disagreements surrounding Lee's strong supporter group, the 'Gaeddal (Daughters of Reform),' are expected to continue fueling internal party conflicts. Anti-Lee faction lawmaker Park Yong-jin wrote on Facebook on the 24th, "What the Democratic Party needs most right now is the determination to part ways with Gaeddal," criticizing, "Gaeddal and political hooligans who attack the party internally and incite division are the biggest obstacles to the Democratic Party's unity." He argued that Lee should declare a break with Gaeddal.
On the other hand, pro-Lee faction lawmaker Kim Nam-guk called this an "arrogant attitude" on YTN Radio's 'Park Ji-hoon's News King' program, rebutting, "The 'Gaeddal' frame is a narrative repeatedly used by some conservative media and the People Power Party to attack the Democratic Party." He emphasized, "Our party members are truly more devoted to the Democratic Party than many Democratic Party lawmakers, so respect and more active communication efforts are necessary."
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