Park Yong-jin "Is it time for the Democratic Party to fight between pro-Myeong and pro-Moon factions... They must show leadership different from Yoon"

A Request to Democratic Party Leader Lee Jaemyung
"Must Inherit Both Merits and Faults of Moon Jaein and Roh Moohyun"
"Should Embrace Internal Dissent and Criticism as Encouragement"

Former Democratic Party lawmaker Park Yong-jin harshly criticized the factional conflicts within the party amid the impeachment trial of President Yoon Seok-yeol on the 9th. He stated, "The people will trust the Democratic Party only if it shows that a leadership different from the 'Yoon Seok-yeol-style leadership,' which suppresses all opposing views, exists within the party."

On the same day, Park expressed his lament on social media, asking, "Is now the time for the Democratic Party to be divided and fighting between pro-Moon and pro-Lee factions?"

Park Yong-jin, Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker. / Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

Regarding the internal disputes over responsibility for the recent presidential election defeat, he expressed concern, saying, "It is natural for a government that failed to regain power to reflect on failures in government policies and personnel appointments, and it is also natural to hold the defeated candidate primarily responsible. So why are we unable to acknowledge both and only engaged in blame-shifting and quarrels?"

He also pointed out that such controversies are detrimental to the party. He said, "We cannot regain the support of citizens who have turned away in disappointment over North Korea policy, personnel policy, and real estate policy by blaming and attacking only Lee Jae-myung. Moreover, reacting with harsh words and ridicule to even minor internal disagreements makes Lee Jae-myung’s presidential victory impossible. In fact, such responses are causing the party to lose hundreds of thousands of votes even before the election campaign begins."

Park urged those who were senior officials or key figures in the Moon Jae-in administration to acknowledge the failures in policy and personnel, and for Lee Jae-myung to take responsibility for the defeat in the last presidential election. He added, "I hope Lee Jae-myung will say, like President Roh Moo-hyun, that he will inherit all the assets, liabilities, merits, and demerits of the Democratic Party and previous governments, and that he will welcome internal dissent and criticism as encouragement."

He also emphasized the need for the Democratic Party to provide assurance. Park said, "The people are anxious. We must see the world through the eyes of citizens who are worried about the overwhelming force of the pro-coup and pro-insurrection factions, not through the eyes of pro-Moon or pro-Lee factions." He continued, "The Democratic Party must demonstrate that it is a different party from the People Power Party, which is relentlessly attacking lawmaker Kim Sang-wook, and show that a leadership different from the 'Yoon Seok-yeol-style leadership,' which suppresses all opposing views, exists within the party for the people to trust it. Now is the time for the Democratic Party to unite and stand at the forefront of the people’s struggle for Yoon Seok-yeol’s impeachment and the punishment of the insurrection forces."