Gaeddal, Disagreement Over Resolution to Stop Attacking Young Politicians
"Insults Must Be Prohibited, but Opinion-Gathering Procedures Should Be Recognized"
"We Must Cut Off Politicians Who Exploit Lee Jae-myung for Self-Protection"
The internal conflict within the Democratic Party of Korea surrounding the issue of the strong supporter base known as the 'fandom' is intensifying. The so-called 'Gaeddal (Daughter of Reform)' attacks on young party politicians who criticized Rep. Kim Nam-guk's alleged coin investment have led to a direct confrontation between the pro-Lee Jae-myung faction (Chinmyeong) and the anti-Lee Jae-myung faction (Bimyeong).
On the 26th, Rep. Ahn Min-seok of the Democratic Party appeared on CBS Radio's Kim Hyun-jung News Show and described the atmosphere regarding the previous day's party meeting, saying, "The so-called Bimyeong and Chinmyeong faction members did not escalate to organized clashes, but it was quite tense." He added, "What was unusual about yesterday's meeting was that senior members from the Bimyeong faction spoke."
At the party meeting held ahead of the plenary session the day before, Rep. Hong Young-pyo urged the party members to issue a resolution condemning the hostility and attacks against eight young Democratic Party politicians and the heads of provincial university student committees, who had each called for party reform at a press conference on the 12th.
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is performing the national ceremony at the party meeting held at the National Assembly on the 25th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@
Through a resolution endorsed by the members, Rep. Hong stated, "It is rare for the youth generation to raise their voices within the Democratic Party," and added, "The excessive hostility and attacks against these young people must stop. Suppressing differing opinions through collective insults and threats shakes democracy and harms the Democratic Party."
However, no separate resolution was issued after the meeting; instead, Democratic Party spokesperson Lee So-young summarized the meeting in a briefing. She said, "Many members agreed with the proposal," and added, "We all recognize and acknowledge that suppressing differing opinions harms the Democratic Party, and many agreed that such excessive hostility and attacks must cease."
From the Chinmyeong faction, it was reported that during the meeting, remarks such as "Kim Nam-guk is also young, so why not protect him?" and "Young politicians must take responsibility for their statements" were made. In fact, the party leadership and the Chinmyeong faction maintained a principled stance that while insults should be prohibited, the process of gathering opinions must be acknowledged.
Democratic Party Supreme Council member Seo Young-kyo said on MBC Radio’s ‘Kim Jong-bae’s Focus’ regarding the previous day's meeting, "Expressing opinions may be a necessary procedure, so the process of gathering opinions should be preserved. However, insults and personal attacks, including those by Leader Lee, have been agreed upon to be subject to disciplinary action, including expulsion from the party, and these measures are being implemented." While insults and personal attacks should be restrained, the process of opinion gathering itself must be recognized.
Rep. Ahn also said in a radio interview, "This is a matter that should be limited to mutual agreement and consent, not something that requires a resolution," and added, "If we do that, we would have to issue resolutions every time there is a meeting." He argued, "I believe the youth committee chair criticizing Rep. Kim Nam-guk was something that could and should have been done," but also said, "On the other hand, a democratic party should allow criticism of that criticism." Of course, Rep. Ahn added a caveat that "the criticism should not be expressed in violent ways, such as insults or abusive language beyond common sense," but insisted, "A resolution should not be issued."
On the same day, young lawmakers who have been criticized by hardline party members after demanding party reform publicly appealed their positions through radio interviews.
Yang So-young, Chair of the Democratic Party’s National University Student Committee, lamented on SBS Radio’s ‘Kim Tae-hyun’s Political Show’ that she has been subjected to insults, abusive language, and lawsuits both online and offline. She said, "As a standing committee representing the 10s and 20s generation within the Democratic Party, we thought it was our role to convey these voices to the party," and added, "However, there have been absurd claims that this press conference was an internal attack or that we held it under the orders of a specific political faction." She explained, "The voices of criticism are unrelated to factional conflicts within the party," and said, "I believe we must continue to raise whatever voices need to be raised without hesitation."
Former Democratic Party Supreme Council member Park Sung-min also said on BBS Radio’s ‘Jeon Young-shin’s Morning Journal’ that they are being called the "Coin Eight" by hardline party members. He said, "As politicians, criticism is inevitable, but if it is done in ways such as inviting us to a 'KakaoTalk prison,' then we must raise issues and prevent recurrence." He emphasized that the party leadership should not break ties with the fandom but should sanction members who engage in wrongful behavior. Park said, "Politicians who cling to the so-called 'Gaeddal (Daughter of Reform)' or those who try to ride on Lee Jae-myung’s name for their own benefit should be cut off," and added, "The leader should be able to draw a clear line to ensure at least a self-purification process within the party, making it clear that he is not involved."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
