Jung Cheongrae: "Merger Talks with Innovation Party Suspended Before Local Elections... To Be Resumed After the Vote"

"Apologizing to Party Members"

The Democratic Party decided on the 10th to suspend all discussions on a merger with the Joguk Hyeoksindang before the June 3 local elections.

In the evening at the National Assembly, Party leader Jung Cheongrae held a closed meeting of the Supreme Council and then said in a briefing, "Today, together with the Democratic Party's emergency Supreme Council, we decided to suspend merger talks before the local elections."

Jung went on to say, "We decided to form a Preparatory Committee for Promotion of Solidarity and Integration, and we propose that the Innovation Party also form a preparatory committee," adding, "After the local elections, we will pursue integration centered on the Preparatory Committee for Promotion of Integration."

Jeong Cheongrae, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is announcing the results after concluding a closed Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 10th on the topic of merger talks with the Joguk Innovation Party. Yonhap News

Regarding the background to suspending the merger talks, he said, "As party leader, my proposal to integrate with the Innovation Party was solely out of loyalty to achieving victory in the local elections and ensuring the success of the Lee Jaemyung administration," and added, "However, it is true that the integration proposal has caused many concerns and worries both inside and outside the party, and that the synergistic effects expected from integration have also run into difficulties."

He continued, "In various settings, I listened carefully to what the members of the National Assembly had to say, and as I meticulously examined the opinion poll indicators among the Democratic Party's support base, I could not help but take seriously the sentiment inside and outside the party that we must no longer allow confusion to continue."

Jung said, "My regret at not being able to hold a vote of all party members can only be very great," but added, "I believed that harmony was more urgent than controversy over integration. Everything that happened during the integration process was due to my shortcomings, and I apologize to the people, to the Democratic Party members, and to the Innovation Party members."