Cho Seungrae: "Legal Action and Complaints Will Be Pursued If Necessary"
The Democratic Party has decided to request severe disciplinary action against current county governors, prospective county governor candidates, and candidates for metropolitan councilor positions who are either suspected of or have a record of illegal party member recruitment ahead of the June 3 local elections next year.
Cho Seungrae, Secretary General of the Democratic Party, met with reporters at the National Assembly on the 12th and stated, "At today's Supreme Council meeting, Representative Jeong Cheongrae requested the Ethics Tribunal to initiate disciplinary procedures against three individuals involved in illegal party member recruitment." Cho further explained that Representative Jeong requested the Ethics Tribunal to impose severe disciplinary measures, including expulsion, on these three individuals.
All three individuals facing disciplinary procedures by the Ethics Tribunal are affiliated with the Jeonnam Provincial Chapter: a current county governor, a prospective county governor candidate, and a prospective metropolitan councilor candidate. It has been reported that these individuals enrolled people as party members using false addresses near the candidate's workplace, or attempted to cut ties with others to avoid disciplinary action.
Secretary General Cho stated, "I am confident that this severe disciplinary action will serve as a strong warning against illegal activities such as unlawful party member recruitment," and warned, "For any candidate found to be involved in illegal party member recruitment, regardless of their status or position, we will request severe disciplinary action from the Ethics Tribunal, and if necessary, take legal measures such as requesting investigations or filing complaints with judicial authorities."
Cho Seungrae, Secretary General of the Democratic Party, met with reporters at the National Assembly on the 12th and stated, "At the Supreme Council meeting, Representative Jeong Cheongrae requested the Ethics Committee to initiate disciplinary procedures against three individuals involved in illegal party member recruitment." Yonhap News
Recently, while investigating allegations that Seoul City Councilor Kim Kyung mobilized a religious organization for party membership, the Democratic Party identified similar violations of the party constitution and regulations and has since launched a comprehensive review.
Secretary General Cho added, "Since the 10th, we have been conducting a project to organize the party member database (DB) to clarify party member information ahead of next year's local elections. We have identified overlapping residences, duplicate mobile phone numbers, and cases of proxy payment of party dues. Out of 54,000 cases of suspected duplication, we have confirmed about 46,000 suspicious cases."
He continued, "To address this issue, we are currently operating a call center to contact the relevant individuals and verify the facts. For those unable to provide supporting documentation, we have convened the Party Membership Qualification Review Committee to restrict their voting rights in internal elections. This call center will operate for three weeks," he explained.
The Democratic Party has also decided to gather opinions regarding Representative Jeong's pledge to implement a one-person, one-vote system for both delegates and full party members, in order to realize an era of party member sovereignty. Currently, one delegate's vote carries the weight of approximately 17 regular party members' votes. During the last party convention, Representative Jeong pledged to reform the current system so that every party member would have an equal vote. In addition, the party plans to finalize the nomination rules for next year's local elections through the Central Committee and other bodies by the 26th.
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