'Lee Jae-myung Resignation' Even Mentioned at Reform General Assembly
Anti-Lee Faction United in Holding Lee Jae-myung Responsible
Pro-Lee Faction Says "Using General Assembly as an Attack Tool"
The Democratic Party of Korea is facing a crisis due to allegations of coin investment involving former Democratic Party (now independent) lawmaker Kim Nam-guk, and responsibility is increasingly being placed on party leader Lee Jae-myung. Lee himself has been engulfed in 'judicial risk,' and it is said that he responded lukewarmly to internal party corruption allegations, including the money envelope scandal and the coin investment allegations. The situation appears to be escalating into factional conflict as the anti-Lee faction (Bi-Myung faction) calls for Lee's resignation.
Kim Jong-min, a Democratic Party lawmaker classified as part of the Bi-Myung faction, said on the 16th on BBS Radio's 'Jeon Young-shin's Morning Journal' regarding the party's 'money envelope allegations' and the Kim Nam-guk incident, "This is prosecutorial oppression. And it is not illegal. The party has no way to respond. (Such a reaction from the party) is so complacent." He directly criticized, "If this continues, the Democratic Party will be in serious trouble."
At the marathon renewal general meeting held on the 14th, about 30 lawmakers reportedly pointed out the party's crisis along with the leadership's response and responsibility. Seol Hoon, a lawmaker from the pro-Lee Nak-yeon faction, directly mentioned Lee's resignation, while there were also claims that "Lee should be re-endorsed." Particularly, the main concern among party lawmakers is that the party leadership responded lukewarmly during the emergence of the money envelope allegations at the party convention and Kim's investment allegations, and aside from the involved parties leaving the party, there was little other response.
On the same day, Democratic Party lawmaker Cho Eung-cheon criticized on YTN Radio's 'Park Ji-hoon's News King,' saying, "The problem is that the leadership is slow to respond to these internal party crises," and added, "Meanwhile, public opinion has worsened to the point of boiling over into a deadlock, and the party has been unable to take proper measures, resulting in a cycle of defections."
He continued, "Isn't the leadership too complacent? The Democratic Party is deepening its 'benevolence,' 'hypocrisy within the party that only protects its own side.' This is a problem," and explained, "There are even talks now questioning the party leader's leadership and political judgment."
On the other hand, Democratic Party lawmaker Park Yong-jin argued that the party is facing a crisis and needs support. On the same day, he said on Facebook, "The party is in an absolute crisis right now, and as the party leader, Lee must wield the sword of Democratic Party reform," adding, "If the party is on the verge of collapse from within, I ask Lee to stand at the center of this issue with responsibility and authority to resolve it."
There have also been renewed calls to disband 'Cheoreomhoe,' a pro-Lee faction lawmaker group within the party. Former Democratic Party emergency committee member Park Ji-hyun criticized, "At the general meeting last Sunday where we gathered to call for 'reform,' the leader protected lawmaker Kim. This is the ultimate benevolence," and said, "Open violence is happening within the party, so what exactly is the leader doing?" She demanded, "Disband Cheoreomhoe, which protects lawmaker Kim, and decisively cut off the extreme fandom politics that supports both Kim and Cheoreomhoe."
As responsibility for Lee is raised, the opinion divide between the pro-Lee faction and the Bi-Myung faction seems to be deepening. Hong Ki-won, a first-term Bi-Myung faction lawmaker who criticized the leadership's response at the renewal general meeting, told this outlet in a phone interview, "Similar problems will continue to arise, and we must not respond as we have now," urging, "We need to enable the Ethics Committee to operate independently so that we can respond swiftly when issues arise."
On the other hand, after the general meeting, the pro-Lee faction defended lawmaker Kim, known as a close aide to Lee, and firmly opposed criticism of the leadership. Kim Young-jin, a second-term pro-Lee faction lawmaker, said, "I respect the contents of the general meeting's resolution." Regarding Lee's call for re-endorsement, he said, "Individual lawmakers are free to have their own opinions." Democratic Party spokesperson Park Sung-jun also criticized, saying, "It is difficult to say the party responded slowly because investigations cannot proceed immediately once the prosecution starts, and the general meeting was used as an attack tool."
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