Handonghun Criticizes "Democratic Party Nomination as Lee Jaemyung's Lawyer Fee Proxy Nomination"

"Must Prevent the Country from Becoming Tongjindang-style and Daejangdong-style"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Han Dong-hoon, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, criticized the Democratic Party of Korea's nomination process as a Daejang-dong-style nomination and a nomination involving the payment of lawyers' fees. This criticism comes as the Daejang-dong legal team affiliated with Lee Jae-myung's camp has been consecutively confirmed as candidates in the Democratic Party primaries.

On the 22nd, at an emergency response meeting held at the central party office in Yeouido, Seoul, Chairman Han said, "I saw reports that the lawyers for Lee Jae-myung, Jeong Jin-sang, Kim Yong, and others from Daejang-dong are smoothly progressing in the Democratic Party nominations," adding, "From Lee Jae-myung's perspective, it seems he is afraid of the lawyers who know the inside story of the crime, so he is nominating them in this way." He emphasized, "This is a case of paying lawyers' fees for his own crimes through nominations," and "It goes beyond a simple Daejang-dong-style nomination to a nomination involving the payment of lawyers' fees."

According to the fourth screening results announced the previous day by the Democratic Party's nomination committee, Park Gyun-taek, a legal special advisor to the party leader and part of Lee's legal team, will face incumbent lawmaker Lee Yong-bin in the Gwangsan-gap district of Gwangju in the primary. Cho Sang-ho, vice chairman of the Democratic Party's Legal Committee, will compete against lawmaker Choi Ki-sang. Cho is also one of Lee's Daejang-dong lawyers. Lawyer Lim Yoon-tae, who was the lawyer for former Democratic Research Institute head Kim Yong, will face former Democratic Party lawmaker Choi Min-hee in Namyangju-gap. Lim served as Lee's legal special advisor during the last presidential election.

Regarding the agreement between the Democratic Party and the Progressive Party on the number of constituency and proportional representation seats, Chairman Han criticized, "As we feared, in this general election, Lee Jae-myung himself is reviving the pro-North Korea unconstitutional party forces of the Unified Progressive Party to survive, turning the legitimate Democratic Party into a party like the Unified Progressive Party." He added, "They are not just giving a few proportional seats to the Progressive Party, the successor of the Unified Progressive Party, but are actively working to get them elected even in constituencies."

He continued, "The lineup is truly fierce, including the privileged activist groups, Lee Jae-myung's 'Gaeddal' faction, pro-North Unified Progressive Party forces, and even Cho Kuk," and said, "Our People Power Party must do everything in its power to prevent these forces from turning the entire country into a Unified Progressive Party or Daejang-dong-style state."

On the 21st, the Democratic Party, Progressive Party, and New Progressive Alliance announced a 'Election Alliance Agreement.' According to the agreement, the Democratic Party and Progressive Party will unify the candidate for the Ulsan Buk-gu constituency, where a Democratic incumbent lawmaker is present, under the Progressive Party candidate. The Progressive Party and New Progressive Alliance will each field three proportional representation candidates, and the 'Alliance Political Civic Council,' representing civil society, will nominate four proportional representation candidates.

Yoon Jae-ok, floor leader of the People Power Party, also said on the same day, "The reason the Democratic Party chose the semi-linked proportional representation system is becoming increasingly clear," and evaluated, "The Democratic Party is opening the door for forces that have been conducting anti-Republic of Korea activities underground to enter the National Assembly openly with their identity guaranteed by the party." He further pointed out, "The Democratic Party is voluntarily becoming a host for anti-American, pro-North, and anti-Republic of Korea forces," and warned, "In this general election, anti-American and pro-North forces, as well as rumor-spreading groups, will cause chaos in the National Assembly and create problems."