"‘Haeng-an Committee Chair Retention’ Jeong Cheong-rae Faces Harsh Criticism: 'It Doesn't Make Sense'"

Jeong Cheong-rae Repeatedly Emphasizes Intention to Defend 'Chairman of the Public Administration Committee' Position
"There Are Party Issues... Even Standing Committee Chairmanship Is Difficult"

The Democratic Party has been engulfed in internal strife over the nomination of Jeong Cheong-rae, a Supreme Council member of the Democratic Party of Korea, as the chairperson of the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee. When the party's floor leadership announced that it would reconsider the criteria for selecting standing committee chairpersons, putting Jeong's position at risk, Jeong openly expressed his dissatisfaction, saying, "I was deceived by Park Kwang-on's floor leadership."

On the 5th, Jeong reiterated his intention to retain the chairmanship of the Public Administration and Security Committee. At the Supreme Council meeting that day, he said, "As far as I know, the petition from party members to the Democratic Party's National Response Center to appoint me as chairperson of the Public Administration and Security Committee has surpassed 50,000 in the shortest time," adding, "The party should seriously consider the orders of its members, who are the owners of the party, and make an immediate announcement."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Earlier, on the 30th, a petition urging the nomination of Jeong as chairperson of the Public Administration and Security Committee was posted on the Democratic Party's National Response Center. The petitioner claimed, "During last year's negotiation for the organization of the National Assembly, the Democratic Party gave up the Legislation and Judiciary Committee to the People Power Party to keep its promise to the public," and added, "Moreover, both parties' floor leaders already signed an agreement to alternate the chairmanships of the Public Administration and Security Committee and the Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee every year."

Jeong also stated that the swap between the chairmanships of the Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee and the Public Administration and Security Committee was an agreement between the ruling and opposition parties made a year ago, and since he had served as chairperson of the Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee, he should now move to the Public Administration and Security Committee chairmanship.

However, within the party, there were criticisms that Jeong, as a Supreme Council member, holding the chairmanship of the Public Administration and Security Committee could be seen as an attempt to maintain vested interests. In response, Park Kwang-on, the floor leader of the Democratic Party, announced that the criteria for selecting standing committee chairpersons would be reconsidered.

Jeong expressed dissatisfaction toward Floor Leader Park. On the 4th, he wrote on his Facebook, "Despite the floor leadership under Park Kwang-on officially announcing a year ago, based on an agreement between the ruling and opposition parties, that 'Jeong Cheong-rae would be the chairperson of the Public Administration and Security Committee,' the Democratic Party did not implement this," adding, "I trusted the floor leadership and even submitted my resignation letter. I was completely blindsided. Completely deceived. They made me submit my resignation and then tied my hands and feet and hit me. That part is very outrageous."

Jeong also hinted at legal action against Kim Jin-pyo, the Speaker of the National Assembly from the same party, including filing a constitutional complaint and a provisional injunction to suspend effectiveness. He claimed that Kim violated the National Assembly Act by ignoring his objection before processing the agenda to accept his resignation as chairperson of the Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee at the plenary session on the 30th of last month.

Park Kwang-on, the floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the launch ceremony of the Fukushima Contaminated Water Task Force held at the National Assembly on the 5th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Criticism of Jeong Cheong-rae is coming from both inside and outside the party. Choi Jae-sung, former senior secretary for political affairs at the Blue House, said on the 5th on KBS Radio's 'Choi Kyung-young's Strong Current Affairs,' "In my view, Jeong Cheong-rae must have felt personally hurt and disappointed. He was in a position to become chairperson of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee but could not," but added, "However, it does not make sense for a Supreme Council member to also serve as a standing committee chairperson. There are positions to focus on within the floor and positions to focus on party issues, and those who should focus on party issues should not take on standing committee chairmanships that require floor focus."

He continued, "Jeong Cheong-rae's insistence on retaining the Public Administration and Security Committee chairmanship is dragging the Democratic Party into a quagmire. The public cannot understand this," and pointed out, "Strong supporters are currently signing petitions by the tens of thousands to 'Keep Jeong Cheong-rae as chairperson of the Public Administration and Security Committee.' This is increasingly alienating the public's perception."

Hyun Geun-taek, deputy director of the Democratic Research Institute, emphasized that the floor leadership must demonstrate leadership. On the 5th, on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show,' he said, "The distribution of standing committee chairmanships should be coordinated within the floor," adding, "I have never seen cases where legal arguments were made in such matters, and in the past, it was customary that those who were floor leaders, Supreme Council members, or ministers did not serve as standing committee chairpersons." He added, "This should be resolved within the party; it is absolutely not a matter to be resolved externally."