"Song Young-gil, Return Home Quickly"…Democratic Party Launches Full-Scale Campaign to Persuade Return

Gominjeong "No reason to avoid if you are confident"
Song Gap-seok "Song Young-gil's rightful place is before the people"
The Better Future "If Song's early return is delayed, strict measures must be taken"

On the 19th, the Democratic Party of Korea once again urged former leader Song Young-gil to return to the country amid allegations of cash envelope distribution at the party convention. Without any statement regarding his return and only announcing a schedule for a special correspondent press conference, Song was being persuaded to come back by invoking the principle of 'putting the party before personal interests.'

At the party's Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly that day, Go Min-jung, a Supreme Council member of the Democratic Party, said, "The recent cash envelope incident has rendered all our struggles powerless and even caused us to lose the legitimacy of defending democracy." She added, "Former leader Song is remembered as a politician who did not hesitate to fight fiercely for democracy. If he is innocent, there is no reason to avoid or distrust." She urged him to come back to the country and clarify the situation in person if he wants to appeal his innocence.

Go also questioned, "If no money was given or received, why are such statements included in the recorded conversations?" and said, "I cannot understand what happened in Song Young-gil’s camp that led to such statements being recorded, which we want to believe are false."

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 19th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

She emphasized, "If he has been falsely accused, he should actively explain, and if there is even a small fault, he should kneel and apologize before the people."

Song Gap-seok, another Supreme Council member of the Democratic Party, also said, "We earnestly and solemnly request former leader Song’s swift return," adding, "We hope he will take responsibility and come forward directly to reveal the truth without leaving any doubt." After listing Song Young-gil’s remarks such as ‘It was a personal deviation,’ ‘It has nothing to do with me,’ and ‘I have nothing to say separately upon returning,’ Song Gap-seok criticized, "Watching former leader Song’s irresponsible attitude, party members and the public cannot hide their bewilderment and disappointment." He urged, "As a former leader of our party and the senior advisor, the place where former leader Song should be now is not Paris, France, but in front of the people of the Republic of Korea."

The Better Future, the largest parliamentary group within the Democratic Party, issued a statement saying, "We formally request" and demanded, "Return early and clarify the allegations clearly." The Better Future criticized, "Despite the party leader’s direct apology to the public and the request for former leader Song to return early and show responsibility, his attitude of delaying his return and holding a press conference abroad is highly inappropriate and unbecoming of a former party leader and responsible leader." They added, "Moreover, considering the precedent when he recommended withdrawal and expulsion of lawmakers suspected of real estate speculation during his tenure as party leader, this behavior cannot be seen as anything but highly inappropriate."

They urged the party leadership, saying, "If former leader Song does not return early and show responsibility for this incident, the Democratic Party demands the strongest and most severe measures." This was a call to draw a clear line through disciplinary actions if Song does not express his intention to return.

Additionally, it is known that first-term lawmakers of the Democratic Party are also considering issuing statements urging former leader Song’s return.