"Developing a Local Election Strategy to Usher in Cho Kuk Innovation Party 2.0"
Competition with the Democratic Party in Honam, Cooperation in Other Regions
With former Cho Kuk Innovation Party leader Cho Kuk set to be released through a special Liberation Day pardon, the Cho Kuk Innovation Party has expressed its determination to work with the Democratic Party to complete prosecutorial and judicial reforms. The party also announced plans to open the era of Cho Kuk Innovation Party 2.0 by developing a local election strategy aimed at securing victory for the progressive bloc.
At the Cho Kuk Innovation Party’s general assembly held at the National Assembly in Yeouido on the 12th, floor leader Seo Wangjin stated, “The captain of the Cho Kuk ship, who fought against the Yoon Suk Yeol administration, is returning.” He added, “The Cho Kuk Innovation Party will put an end to prosecutorial dictatorship as soon as possible, and will place prosecutorial reform and sweeping social reform at the forefront, using this decision (pardon and reinstatement) as momentum to complete these reforms.”
The previous day, President Lee Jaemyung convened an extraordinary cabinet meeting and approved the August 15 special pardon and reinstatement for 836,687 individuals, including former leader Cho Kuk. Cho is scheduled to be released from Seoul Southern Detention Center at midnight on Liberation Day, August 15. Lawmakers from the Cho Kuk Innovation Party plan to greet him upon his release.
In anticipation of Cho’s return, the Cho Kuk Innovation Party pledged at the general assembly to work with the Democratic Party to achieve prosecutorial and judicial reform. Floor leader Seo stated, “Along with the four prosecutorial reform bills, we will also push for the swift passage of a special law to address abuse of prosecutorial power, so that legal measures such as relief for victims’ rights and retrials can follow. We will also accelerate reforms of all levels of power institutions and the judiciary.” He continued, “We will work even more closely and cooperatively with the Democratic Party to produce irreversible outcomes from these reforms.”
The party also announced plans to develop a local election strategy to usher in the Cho Kuk Innovation Party 2.0 era. Seo said, “We will begin in earnest to develop strategies for an overwhelming victory for the democratic and progressive camp,” adding, “Completely expelling the People Power Party, the party of insurrection, from local elections is the most perfect way to bring an end to insurrection.”
After the assembly, Seo explained the party’s local election strategy to reporters, saying, “In the Honam region, we will pursue healthy competition with the Democratic Party, while in other regions, we will form a unified reform and progressive front against People Power Party candidates.” However, he noted that the final strategy would be confirmed through discussions both inside and outside the party.
The party also promised to achieve a complete end to insurrection by amending the special prosecutor law to expand the scope and temporal limits of existing special prosecutor investigations.
Meanwhile, the Cho Kuk Innovation Party is also preparing to file for a retrial for former leader Cho Kuk. Floor leader Seo, along with Democratic Party lawmaker Min Hyungbae and Social Democratic Party leader Han Changmin, previously introduced a “Special Act on Investigating Abuse of Prosecutorial Power and Restoring Victims’ Rights during Yoon Suk Yeol’s Tenure as Prosecutor General and President.”
Seo explained, “According to the bill, since the abuse of prosecutorial and investigative powers has been severe since Yoon Suk Yeol became Prosecutor General, this will amount to a kind of reinvestigation into major related cases. Depending on the outcome, measures to restore victims’ rights will be implemented?if prosecution is ongoing, the case may be dropped; if a verdict has already been delivered, a retrial may be possible.” However, he emphasized, “This is all contingent on the bill passing the (plenary) session.”
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