Growing 'Lee Jae-myung Secret Team' Suspicion Amid Sacheon Controversy... "Everyone Who Knows, Knows"

Pro-Myeong Faction's Jeong Seong-ho "Secret Influence Unknown to Party Members? Impossible"
Moon Hak-jin "It's a System Nomination, So Why Behind the Scenes?"

Suspicions are spreading that the so-called 'Gyeonggi-do Team,' an unofficial organization under Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is in operation. Recently, suitability surveys for Democratic Party candidates in the general election were conducted across various regions nationwide, and it is claimed that these surveys were carried out by the Gyeonggi-do Team with the intention of excluding pro-Lee Jae-myung non-incumbent figures from nominations. However, Jeong Seong-ho, a pro-Lee Jae-myung Democratic Party lawmaker, denied the allegations, saying, "I doubt that an unofficial organization could operate without party members knowing."

On the 20th, Jeong said on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show,' "I have never heard of an unofficial organization called the Gyeonggi-do Team," adding, "It is a story made up by gossipers." He said, "I have heard that Lee's closest aides are the core of the Gyeonggi-do Team, but is that really possible? The likelihood is low." He continued, "However, suitability surveys for candidates and hopefuls can be conducted individually or by various groups. Currently, many opinion polls are circulating not only regionally but nationwide."

This appears to be a rebuttal to criticism that deciding nominations based on opinion polls conducted by Lee's unofficial Gyeonggi-do Team is inappropriate. Jeong said, "Sometimes candidates request opinion polls to prove their competitiveness, but it is not appropriate to criticize the polls themselves."

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 19th.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

The initial mention of the unofficial 'Gyeonggi-do' team came from former lawmaker Moon Hak-jin. Moon claimed that Lee called him twice?once in December last year and again on the 27th of last month?to advise him not to run.

Moon appeared on SBS Radio's 'Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show' that day and said, "On the evening of December 16 last year, when several articles about 'old boys moving' were coming out, I received a call from Lee," adding, "He said it would be better if I stopped at this point, but I replied that it was inappropriate to judge by biological age." According to Moon's claim, Lee called again on the 27th of last month, saying, "You ranked last in the suitability opinion poll," and advised him not to run. Moon said, "There are four Democratic Party preliminary candidates in Gwangju-eul, and I was shown as fourth, but according to our own data, I was first." He added, "After the call, I called Ahn Kyu-baek, the chairman of the Strategic Nomination Committee, and asked if the party had conducted such an opinion poll, and he replied, 'No, Gyeonggi-do,' referring to Lee's unofficial team known to those familiar."

He continued, "It is understandable that Lee might run a separate team for more detailed information apart from the party's official line and the general election planning team. However, reporting figures created for a specific purpose to the leader or the leader believing them and calling to notify candidates is something that should never happen in a democratic party," criticizing the practice.

Moon said, "There is a system for nominations, and the party has official bodies like the Nomination Management Committee and the Strategic Nomination Committee. These bodies can commission reliable polling agencies to assess each candidate's competitiveness and decide nominations." He pointed out, "It's a straightforward matter, but because it is done secretly with strange intentions, such reckless actions and absurd situations arise."