'Lee Jae-myung Self-Approval'... Opposition Party's General Election Verification Committee 'Eligibility for Candidacy' Controversy

Even with a Guilty Verdict in the First Trial, Eligibility Remains... "Verification is Lax"
Lee Jae-myung, of course, Hwang Unha, Noh Woong-rae, and Jung Bong-ju 'Pass'
'Party Resignation Rush' Gains Momentum... Party Atmosphere Unsettled

The Democratic Party's Public Office Candidate Verification Committee (Verification Committee) has sparked controversy by giving a 'qualified' judgment to preliminary candidates, including leader Lee Jae-myung, who are currently on trial or have been convicted in the first trial. Critics argue that this contradicts the party's stated intention to strengthen verification standards.

According to the Democratic Party on the 12th, the Verification Committee released the list of 89 preliminary candidates who passed the verification for the general election the previous afternoon. Lee Jae-myung, who is on trial for allegations of preferential treatment in the Daejang-dong development project and violations of the Public Official Election Act, received a 'qualified' judgment in his constituency, Incheon Gyeyang-eul.

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending the continuation of the first trial for violation of the Public Official Election Act held at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 8th. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

Article 11 of the Democratic Party's regulations states that those who are criminal offenders condemned by the public for bribery, etc., and who have been sentenced to imprisonment or a suspended sentence or higher, or those who have been convicted in a lower court and are currently undergoing trial, do not have the right to be elected. However, Representative Hwang Un-ha, who was sentenced to three years in prison in the first trial last November for allegations of interference in the Ulsan mayoral election, passed the candidate verification for Daejeon Jung-gu. Although the prison sentence Hwang received corresponds to a loss of parliamentary seat, he is currently appealing. Representative Roh Woong-rae, who is on trial for the so-called 'party convention money envelope scandal,' also received a qualified judgment in Seoul Mapo-gap.

Jeong Bong-ju, director of the Democratic Education Training Institute and considered a pro-Lee figure, was previously 'cut off' during the 21st general election due to sexual harassment allegations. However, this time he passed the Verification Committee's screening. He declared his candidacy in Seoul Gangbuk-eul, the constituency of Representative Park Yong-jin, who is classified as anti-Lee within the party. Given this situation, there are complaints that the verification standards are lax for pro-Lee figures who are 'assassin candidates' in the constituencies of anti-Lee lawmakers.

A metropolitan area lawmaker classified as anti-Lee cited cases such as former Siheung Mayor Kim Yoon-sik and former Goyang Mayor Choi Sung, who were judged unqualified without criminal charges, and claimed, "When running in pro-Lee constituencies, they were cut off as targets for removing political rivals, but when pro-Lee figures run in anti-Lee constituencies, they are judged qualified even if they have committed crimes." He criticized, "Isn't the verification standard being arbitrarily changed?"

A party official stated, "Some preliminary candidates face charges without clear evidence of guilt, and they maintain their innocence," adding, "Political judgment will be made by the Nomination Management Committee." The official also explained that there are exceptions to the disqualification criteria for those who have been convicted and are still on trial. "Exceptions are recognized if more than two-thirds of the Verification Committee members agree and the Supreme Council approves," the official said.

The 'Principles and Common Sense' group, a non-Lee Jae-myung faction within the Democratic Party of Korea, consisting of Cho Eung-cheon (from the left), Lee Won-wook, and Kim Jong-min, is holding a press conference on leaving the party at the National Assembly on the 10th. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

With the departure of former leader Lee Nak-yeon following the innovation faction 'Principles and Common Sense,' dissatisfaction with the preliminary candidate screening is growing, creating a chaotic atmosphere within the party. Recently, it has been reported that the Democratic Party's elected public official evaluation committee completed evaluations of incumbent lawmakers and handed over the data to the Nomination Management Committee, raising concerns that this could lead to a chain of resignations among incumbents. The party leadership is trying to quell the controversy by stating that the results are 'sealed.'