PPP and Reform New Party Unite on "Unification Church Special Prosecutor"... Jang Donghyuk: "All Opposition Parties Must Join Forces"

Jang Donghyuk: "The process of joining forces with the Reform New Party has begun"
PPP and Reform New Party to coordinate joint proposal for special prosecutor bill soon
Ruling party opposes, citing "police investigation ongoing"... Opposition says, "Police investigation is not enough"

On December 15, the People Power Party once again emphasized the need to push for a special prosecutor, labeling the allegations of Unification Church bribery involving members of the Democratic Party as a "power-related crime." The party plans to coordinate a joint proposal for a special prosecutor bill with the Reform New Party, which shares a consensus on the issue, and will soon hold a meeting to discuss this further.

Jang Donghyuk, leader of the People Power Party, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the tent protest site in front of the National Assembly main building on December 15, 2025. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

Jang Donghyuk, leader of the People Power Party, stated at the Supreme Council meeting held at the tent protest site in front of the National Assembly main building on the morning of December 15, "The Lee Jaemyung administration is an unprecedentedly ruthless and oppressive regime," adding, "In order to stop this, everyone must unite and fight together."

Jang said, "I believe the process of joining forces with the Reform New Party to pass the Unification Church special prosecutor bill is just the beginning. If all opposition parties who care about the country and the people come together, we can also block the eight major harmful laws. I hope meaningful discussions will continue in the future."

He also pointed out, "The Democratic Party refuses the Unification Church Gate special prosecutor but insists on pushing forward with their own second special prosecutor. They are trying to cover up their own crimes while continuing to incite rebellion and pursue political retaliation."

He continued, "Special Prosecutor Min Junggi sat on the case until the statute of limitations was almost up, even after hearing testimony that the Unification Church gave money to the Democratic Party. If it weren't for media reports, the case would not even have been handed over to the police," he emphasized.

He further argued, "The special prosecutor pushed for a search and seizure of the opposition party's member list, claiming the Unification Church had collectively joined the People Power Party, but in reality, testimonies stated that both parties had members joining. Yet, they did not even glance at the Democratic Party. This is a legendary level of biased investigation."

Jang said, "Just before his trial, President Lee Jaemyung threatened the dissolution of religious organizations at a Cabinet meeting, effectively silencing the Unification Church. How deeply and widely must the Democratic Party and the President's close associates be involved for the President to directly intervene and make threats? This case is a clear cover-up of a power-related crime involving the President himself."

Lee Junseok, leader of the Reform New Party (second from the left), is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 15th. Photo by Yonhap News

Lee Junseok, leader of the Reform New Party, is also actively supporting the push for a special prosecutor regarding the "Unification Church Gate." Appearing on BBS's "Kim Taesup's Morning Journal" on the morning of December 15, he said, "It is difficult for Special Prosecutor Min Junggi or any other agency to investigate this case, so ultimately, a special prosecutor is necessary. The Reform New Party is fine with a special prosecutor team of about 15 members. We are willing to give it a try."

The People Power Party and the Reform New Party each plan to prepare their own drafts of the special prosecutor bill and coordinate the contents for joint proposal through working-level negotiations this week. Song Eonseok, floor leader of the People Power Party, told reporters the previous day, "In order to uncover the substantive truth, it would be best for anyone who shares our intention to join us."

Park Sunghoon, chief spokesperson for the People Power Party, also stated, "Discussions are underway behind the scenes," adding, "Once Chun Haram, floor leader of the Reform New Party, returns to Korea on the 16th, we plan to accelerate the discussions. We expect the bill can be proposed in the latter half of this week."

In political circles, there is analysis that the People Power Party and the Reform New Party, through this push for a special prosecutor bill, may open a channel for discussions between their leadership and lay the groundwork for cooperation in next year's local elections.

However, the Democratic Party, which holds a majority of seats, remains negative about the special prosecutor investigation. Park Soo-hyun, chief spokesperson for the Democratic Party, said at a National Assembly press briefing the previous day, "At a time when a police investigation has already begun, the opposition's call for a special prosecutor is nothing more than political maneuvering to escalate the situation. We have no intention whatsoever to accept it."

In response, Park Sunghoon, chief spokesperson for the People Power Party, said, "The current police investigation is being led by a superintendent-level officer. In a situation where even a special prosecutor team with 120 prosecutors could not achieve meaningful results, it is difficult for the public to believe that the police, who have no experience investigating those in power, will be able to deliver results."