Anti-Banh Mi and Pro-North Korea Controversy... Citizens' Society Quota Candidates Withdraw One After Another
Newly Recommended Lawyer Lee Joo-hee, Former Member of Lee's Presidential Campaign
"Does Not Align with the Purpose of Separately Allocating Citizens' Society Quota"
The Coalition Political Citizens' Conference (hereinafter referred to as Citizens' Society), which recommends proportional representation candidates for the citizen society quota in the satellite party led by the Democratic Party of Korea, re-nominated a person who was active in Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party leader's presidential campaign, to fill the candidate position that was resigned due to anti-American and pro-North Korea controversies. There are criticisms that this does not align with the purpose of separately guaranteeing the citizen society quota in the opposition coalition proportional representation.
According to political circles on the 14th, Citizens' Society newly selected lawyer Lee Joo-hee and former non-standing commissioner of the National Human Rights Commission Seo Mi-hwa as female candidates. Previously, Jeon Ji-ye, a financial justice solidarity operating committee member who ranked 1st and 2nd in the women's category in the national audition, and Jung Young-i, chairman of the Gurye County Farmers' Association of the National Farmers' Federation, became controversial due to their anti-American and pro-North Korea activities and all resigned, leading to this re-nomination.
Attorney Lee Joo-hee. [Image source=The Democratic Party of Korea National Candidate Recommendation Screening Committee website]
It is understood that lawyer Lee was in charge of legal support work at Lee Jae-myung's presidential campaign during the last presidential election. After the primary, when the election countermeasures committee was formally organized, she was known to have handled complaints and accusations in the legal support team. She worked alongside lawyer Lee Tae-hyung, who appeared in the 'lawyer fee payment suspicion,' and lawyer Kim Dong-a, who was nominated for Seoul Seodaemun-gu Gap as the 'Daejang-dong lawyer.' Also, Lee defended Jung Kyung-shim, spouse of Cho Kuk, leader of the Cho Kuk Innovation Party, and at the law firm Dasan, where she belongs, she defended Kim Hye-kyung, spouse of Lee Jae-myung.
In political circles, considering Lee's background supporting Lee Jae-myung, there are criticisms that it is inappropriate for her to be recommended as the citizen society quota. The Democratic Coalition includes the Democratic Party, New Progressive Union, Progressive Party, and Citizens' Society. It was agreed that the New Progressive Union and Progressive Party would each place three candidates, and Citizens' Society would place four candidates in the safe winning zone. The purpose is to guarantee the quota for candidates recommended by civic groups.
Her personal background is also controversial. She is a former NL faction activist and served as the national student committee chairperson of the Democratic Labor Party. She also ran as a proportional representation candidate for the Democratic Labor Party in the 17th and 18th general elections. Notably, she was active in the National Joint Action for the Abolition of the National Security Law, which advocates for the abolition of the National Security Law. There are reactions expressing surprise that a candidate who advocated for the 'abolition of the National Security Law' was re-nominated to replace a candidate who resigned due to anti-American and pro-North Korea controversies.
There is also much gossip in the Lawyers for a Democratic Society (Minbyun), where Lee was active until just before running as a proportional representation candidate. Minbyun has a progressive stance but has maintained a critical position that the satellite party issue is an 'unconstitutional act' regardless of party lines. Lee, who served as deputy secretary-general in Minbyun, submitted her resignation and directly joined the Democratic Coalition as soon as the proportional nomination application began.
An opposition party official pointed out, "If she was active in Lee Jae-myung's campaign, shouldn't she have run as a proportional representation candidate for the Democratic Party?" and added, "This is going completely against the purpose of separately allocating the citizen society quota."
[Correction Report] Regarding 'Opposition, Lawyer from Lee Jae-myung's Campaign as Citizen Society Quota Proportional Candidate'
However, this newspaper could not confirm that candidate Lee Joo-hee was active in Lee Jae-myung's presidential campaign during the last presidential election. This report is pursuant to the mediation of the Press Arbitration Commission.
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