Song Younggil Acquitted on All Counts in Appeals Court: "I Will Dissolve the Sonamoo Party and Rejoin the Democratic Party"

Democratic Party Says It "Welcomes His Return to the Party"

Song Younggil, leader of the Sonamoo Party who was acquitted in connection with allegations of cash envelope distribution at the Democratic Party of Korea’s national convention, declared on the 13th that he will rejoin the party. Song stated, "I will become a member of the Democratic Party and do everything I can to help ensure the success of the Lee Jaemyung administration."

On this day, through social media (SNS), Song said, "Today, the appellate court found me not guilty on all the charges in the indictment," adding, "From the outset, it has now been clearly confirmed in court that the so-called cash envelope case and the separate case were a politically engineered investigation designed to eliminate a political opponent by the Yoon Sukyeol-Han Donghoon prosecutorial regime."

He said, "I will not take today’s ruling merely as a restoration of my personal honor," and continued, "I will take it as the starting point of the political responsibility entrusted to me. Today, after gathering the opinions of our party members, I will dissolve the Sonamoo Party and declare my return to the Democratic Party."

Yonhap News

Song said, "The reason I left the Democratic Party three years ago was clear," explaining, "It was to avoid placing a burden on then-Democratic Party leader Lee Jaemyung and the party over the cash envelope case." He went on to say, "There are no conditions, no preconditions, and no demands attached to my return to the Democratic Party," adding, "I am guided solely by the determination to responsibly support President Lee Jaemyung’s management of state affairs as a member of the Democratic Party."

The Democratic Party expressed a welcoming position on this development.

Park Suhyeon, chief spokesperson of the Democratic Party, said, "We offer our deep consolation and support to former leader Song, who has suffered for a long time under the Yoon Sukyeol prosecutorial dictatorship regime’s politically engineered investigation aimed at killing off a political opponent," and added, "We welcome former leader Song, who has overcome the razor-sharp blade of the political prosecution and returned."

He also said, "We welcome the decision to dissolve the Sonamoo Party and to return to the Democratic Party," and added, "The Democratic Party will continue solidarity and unity toward the success of the Lee Jaemyung administration."