Democratic Party Boils Over Responsibility Debate for Yoon Administration's Rise... "Negative Impact on General Election"

An Minseok "Taking responsibility is an honorable act"
Gominjeong "Both pro-Myeong and anti-Myeong factions must be deployed forward"

The Democratic Party of Korea is experiencing internal strife over the 'responsibility theory for the birth of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration' directed at personnel from the Moon Jae-in government. On the 8th, Democratic Party lawmaker Ahn Min-seok asserted, "At the very least, the key aides of the Blue House must take responsibility for the birth of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration."

In an interview on YTN Radio's 'News King Park Ji-hoon,' Ahn said, "Many people, including myself, agree that 'personnel from the Moon Jae-in government should show a responsible attitude.'" He added, "Politics should have decency beyond party lines," and stated, "In the sorrowful reality where the administration could not continue and was handed over to the prosecution-led government, it is a decent act for at least the key aides of the Blue House to take responsibility."

He further expressed concern that if key figures from the Moon Jae-in government, such as former Presidential Chief of Staff Lim Jong-seok, run for office, it could negatively impact the general election. He said, "There is a clear possibility that former President Moon Jae-in will be summoned, and the angle of this general election, which might have to be held as a 'judgment on the Yoon Seok-yeol administration,' could be dulled." He emphasized, "When the public looks at our Democratic Party, they might wonder, 'Why don't they innovate more?', 'Why aren't they afraid of the people?', 'Why don't they take responsibility for losing the administration?'" He stressed, "Losing the administration is a sin against history." He added, "While I and other Democratic Party lawmakers all bear responsibility for losing the administration, people like former Chief of Staff Lim, who served closest to President Moon, must take historical responsibility regardless of personal faults."

Im Hyuk-baek, Chairman of the Democratic Party's Public Office Election Candidate Recommendation Management Committee, is announcing the first round primary candidates at the central party office in Yeouido, Seoul on the 6th. Previously, the committee conducted interviews over six days from the 31st of last month until the 5th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

The spark for the 'responsibility theory for the launch of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration' within the party was lit by Lim Hyuk-baek, chairman of the Democratic Party's nomination management committee. On the 6th, when announcing the first round of primary election districts, Chairman Lim demanded, "I hope those who inadvertently caused the birth of the Yoon Seok-yeol prosecution government also show a responsible attitude."

In response, personnel from the Moon Jae-in government pushed back. Go Min-jung, a Supreme Council member who served as the Blue House spokesperson during the Moon Jae-in administration, said, "We need to practice politics that transcends factions, but it seems like politics of exclusion is being repeated, which is worrisome." On BBS Radio's 'Jeon Young-shin's Morning Journal' that day, she emphasized, "The most important thing in this general election is to win the main election," and added, "If someone is competitive in the main election, they should be placed forward regardless of whether they are pro-Moon or anti-Moon faction."

She continued, "No matter how many seats the opposition has, they cannot draft budgets, and even if they pass bills, they face vetoes," and said, "We need to gain even one more seat to build the power to check the government during the remaining three years of the president's term."

She also argued that party leader Lee Jae-myung should step in to resolve the conflict between the pro-Lee (pro-Lee Jae-myung) and pro-Moon (pro-Moon Jae-in) factions. Go said, "Leader Lee recently met with former President Moon and said he would pursue politics like a melting pot," and added, "Only Leader Lee can resolve this issue now, so I hope he will do so."