Cho Kuk Agrees to Form Alliance and Unification Committee with Democratic Party... Accepts Jung Cheongrae's Apology

Consensus on Alliance in Local Elections Despite Suspension of Merger Talks

Cho Kuk, leader of the Cho Kuk Innovation Party, accepted on the 11th the Democratic Party of Korea's proposal to form a "Preparatory Committee for Promoting Alliance and Integration." Regarding the conflict over a merger that began with Democratic Party leader Jung Cheongrae's surprise proposal, he said, "I accept the apology that Leader Jung expressed to the members of the Innovation Party," and added, "I hope that, just as the ground hardens after the rain, the alliance and unity between the two parties will be strengthened going forward."

Leader Cho said this after convening an emergency Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly on the same day, stating, "Last night, I received from Democratic Party leader Jung Cheongrae the party's final position on alliance and integration."

Cho Kuk, leader of the Cho Kuk Innovation Party, is expressing his position at the National Assembly on the Democratic Party's proposal to form a preparatory committee to pursue an alliance and integration. 2026.2.11 Photo by Kim Hyunmin

Agreeing to the formation of the committee to promote alliance and integration, Leader Cho said, "Within this week, I will convene the Party Affairs Committee to obtain its approval." He went on to say, "This must be carried out in a way that achieves the firm goals of 'a complete judgment on the forces of rebellion, political reform including innovation in local politics, and the success of a people-sovereign government,'" and stressed, "It must not merely be a combination and expansion of numbers, but a combination and expansion of vision and values."

Although the merger talks collapsed due to backlash and conflict within the Democratic Party, Leader Cho stated that the two parties would form an alliance for the local elections on June 3.

He said, "The Innovation Party has consistently advocated a 'local election alliance' for 'Zero People Power, Zero Corruption' up until the phase of merger discussions," and continued, "If a meeting between the two parties takes place, we must first confirm whether the 'alliance' proposed by the Democratic Party is a 'local election electoral alliance' or merely an abstract slogan of alliance." He added that the preparatory committee must later determine the principles and methods of a local election alliance.

He also said, "In this entire process, the two parties must proceed in a way that, with sincerity, strengthens mutual trust and respect," and added, "If, instead, the matter is approached from the perspective of the interests of a particular politician or faction, it will inevitably backfire."

Leader Cho said, "Members of the Innovation Party have been deeply hurt by the slander and insults directed at the party," but added, "The Innovation Party will steadfastly continue to walk the path of grand politics centered on the greater good, no matter what storms we face."

The previous day, after a Democratic Party general meeting of lawmakers and a closed Supreme Council meeting, Leader Jung decided to halt merger talks before the local elections. He is known to have personally conveyed this decision to Leader Cho after an emergency press conference.

Regarding the Democratic Party's proposal to promote alliance and integration, Innovation Party spokesperson Park Byeongeon added, "Even in relation to a merger, they did not use the word 'merger' but instead used the expression 'integration after the local elections.' The Democratic Party needs to clarify how this differs in meaning from a merger. Depending on the meaning, there is room for our party's response to change."

Spokesperson Park further said, "In the course of the merger discussions, the Democratic Party leadership needs to straighten out the fact that, unintentionally, the level of rhetoric was heightened," and continued, "The Democratic Party leadership needs to undertake work, through messaging, to ensure that content currently remaining online that could become a source of conflict between the two parties is deleted. That will be a message of reconciliation and apology in the truest sense."