Song Young-gil: "Anti-Yoon Coalition New Party... Indirect Communication with Cho Kuk Ongoing"

Former Democratic Party Leader Song Young-gil CBS Radio Interview
"Attending Support Meetings and Money Envelopes Are Separate"

Former Democratic Party leader Song Young-gil stated that a 'Ban-Yoon (anti-Yoon Seok-yeol) coalition' is necessary, saying, "We are planning (to establish a new party) centered on those who can clearly fight against Yoon Seok-yeol's prosecutorial dictatorship and are actually fighting."

On the 21st, Song appeared on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show' and spoke about the possibility of founding a new party, saying, "I have left the possibility open."

He continued, "If we do not go with the current parallel system and maintain the current mixed-member proportional representation system, both Lee Jae-myung and I have repeatedly pledged not to create satellite parties," adding, "Therefore, I think there might be a role for me to play."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Song said, "For example, Democratic Party supporters will cast two votes each: one for the local Democratic candidate and the other for the proportional representation party they prefer. There needs to be a broader choice for that," adding, "In that sense, for the sake of confronting the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, it would be beneficial for the Democratic Party if reformist parties secure many seats through proportional representation."

When asked whether he is communicating with former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk regarding the new party formation, Song replied, "We are communicating indirectly," and said, "We are joint victims of Yoon Seok-yeol's prosecutorial dictatorship regime, and I believe we share a common awareness of the problem."

However, regarding the possibility of an alliance with former Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae, he said, "That seems premature," and added, "Neither I nor former Minister Cho Kuk are party members, whereas Minister Choo Mi-ae is currently in the party," withholding further comment.

Additionally, Song strongly criticized the prosecution's disclosure in court of the names of 21 Democratic Party lawmakers who appeared to have attended a meeting suspected of distributing cash envelopes during the 2021 Democratic Party leadership election, saying, "Attending a support meeting and the issue of cash envelopes are separate matters."

He said, "I want to ask Minister Han Dong-hoon, when the Democratic Party revealed the list of 16 prosecutors who investigated Lee Jae-myung, Minister Han accurately stated, 'Publicly inciting the targeting and mobbing of public officials to avoid personal criminal issues undermines the rule of law.'"

He continued, "Using the same logic, publicly disclosing the names of 21 lawmakers, constitutional institution members, during a very sensitive pre-election period, simply because they attended a breakfast meeting supporting Song Young-gil, as if they were suspected of receiving cash envelopes, and leaking this to the media is a blatant public incitement to target and mob them," emphasizing, "This is a serious violation of the rule of law, a disclosure of investigation facts, and constitutes defamation."

Song said, "If there was actual evidence, they should have summoned and investigated," adding, "Without investigation or evidence, treating those who attended a breakfast meeting and had coffee to support me like this?how do you think I would feel?"