Internal Strife in the Democratic Party Over "One Member, One Vote" System
Heated Exchanges at Public Forum Held at Party Headquarters
"How can you call this a debate? It's just a notification."
On the afternoon of December 1, a public forum was held at the central headquarters of the Democratic Party of Korea in Yeouido, Seoul. Some party members raised their voices in protest. The event was organized to gather opinions on the "one delegate, one vote" system for delegates and dues-paying members.
Democratic Party members filled all 80 or so seats prepared in the venue, and from the very beginning of the forum, they expressed their frustration by shouting, "Jung Chungrae, resign!", "Do you think we're a joke?", and "Why are you talking so long?" Some members stood outside the headquarters holding signs that read "Jung Chungrae, resign."
The atmosphere grew tense as supporters and opponents of the one-person, one-vote system exchanged loud accusations. When party officials asked some members who would not stop shouting to leave, others protested, saying, "You only set up 80 seats in the forum and left the rest of us outside, so we have no choice but to raise our voices for them."
The one-person, one-vote system, which aims to give equal voting rights to delegates and dues-paying members in party elections, was a campaign pledge of Democratic Party leader Jung Chungrae, who advocated for a "party member sovereignty era" during the party convention. Previously, Article 25 of the party constitution stipulated that the value of a delegate's vote was 17 times that of a dues-paying member.
While the official issue is the "equivalence of votes," political circles are casting suspicion on Representative Jung's political motives. Some view it as a move to solidify his power base within the party and lay the groundwork for his re-election as party leader next year. Others see it as a power struggle between pro-Lee Jaemyung and pro-Jung Chungrae factions within the ruling party.
Meanwhile, the forum was attended by Cho Seungrae, Secretary General of the Democratic Party and head of the task force for redefining the roles of delegates and strategic region members, as well as Lee Haesik, head of the party's strategic planning committee, and lawmakers Yoon Jongkun, Kim Wooyoung, and Kim Youngbae, among others.
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