Holding a Press Conference to Urge the Leadership
"The Currently Discussed Method Is Unfair"
On the 17th, Park Yong-jin, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, urged the party leadership to "correct the primary election method." The Democratic Party canceled the nomination of former lawmaker Jeong Bong-ju amid the 'crutch prize' controversy and decided to hold a strategic primary election for the Gangbuk-eul district in Seoul. Within the party, methods such as '70% nationwide party members' vote and 30% Gangbuk party members' vote' and the 'one person, two votes system' are being discussed as strategic primary election methods.
Park, the incumbent lawmaker of the district, held a press conference at the National Assembly Communication Office on the same day and said, "(The primary election method) is unfair and unjust," adding, "There is no precedent for the 'one person, two votes system' in selecting a district general election candidate. I have never heard a reason why the Gangbuk-eul district should be a strategic district, nor have I heard any grounds for nationwide party members who do not know the district to have voting rights."
There are criticisms that the primary election methods being discussed within the party may reflect the opinions of the party's hardline supporters more than the local public sentiment. Park said, "If this unfairness and injustice are not corrected and the primary election is held, both Representative Lee Jae-myung and I clearly know what the outcome will be," and added, "Even if a pro-Lee candidate wins under these rules targeting only Park Yong-jin and applied only to him, who would acknowledge his victory and celebrate the Democratic Party's victory?"
Park said, "Why go this far, why should I throw myself into this process again, and whether participating in the strategic primary election would only become a mere formality and a bystander to unfairness and injustice, I have pondered these questions repeatedly," adding, "The conclusion is that despite all this, I am determined not to back down again."
He also stated, "The 30% penalty reduction, which was already imposed until the final round, should not be applied again in the completely new setting of the strategic primary election, as it is an unreasonable interpretation not stipulated in the party's constitution and regulations," and demanded that the primary election method be corrected, saying, "I have silently borne the 30% penalty reduction in two votes without any explanation from the party as to why I am in the bottom 10%. According to the party's constitution and regulations, that should be sufficient."
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