Jung Cheongrae Says Unification with Cho Kuk Innovation Party, Whether Supported or Opposed, Is an Expression of Devotion to the Party...Only a Difference in Methodology

No party member opinion poll to be conducted
Final position to be settled at evening Supreme Council meeting

On the 10th, Jeong Cheongrae, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, said, "Whether you support or oppose unification with the Cho Kuk Innovation Party, I believe that is an expression of love and devotion to the party."

At a meeting held that day at the National Assembly with second-term Democratic Party lawmakers, Jeong said, "There are opinions that unifying with the Innovation Party will help us win the local elections and ensure the success of the Lee Jaemyung administration, and there are also opinions that now is not the right time." Regarding the fact that the party has split into pro- and anti-unification camps, he said, "I believe this is a difference in methods in pursuit of the goals of winning the local elections and ensuring the success of the Lee Jaemyung administration, not a difference in goals."

Jeong Cheongrae, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending a Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly on Feb. 9, 2026. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

In other words, Jeong views both the pro- and anti-unification positions regarding the proposed merger with the Innovation Party as differing only in methodology.

Jeong also stated his intention to reach a position on the merger issue as soon as possible. He said, "After hearing the valuable views of the second-term lawmakers, starting at 10:00 we will go through a general assembly of lawmakers to build a consensus among all members of the National Assembly," adding, "By gathering the collective will of all party members to build a competent Democratic Party and a strong Democratic Party, we will, in pursuit of our shared goals of winning the local elections and ensuring the success of the Lee Jaemyung administration, determine as soon as possible, in line with the intentions of our lawmakers, which option is more correct and better, and proceed in a way that leads to a conclusion."

He also reaffirmed that the party will not conduct opinion polls targeting party members and others. He said, "In the Democratic Party, our members of the National Assembly play an important role, but the owners of the party are the party members, so we should have had a procedure to ask for the will of the party members. On that point, we are instead referring to various statistics, opinion polls, and statistical indicators."

It is understood that after the meeting with second-term lawmakers and the general assembly of lawmakers, Jeong will convene a closed-door Supreme Council meeting in the evening to finalize the party's position on the merger issue.