Shin Jang-sik, acting leader of the Justice Innovation Party, stated on June 21 that while an alliance with the Democratic Party is essential, a merger is optional. He emphasized that strengthening his party should be the priority.
During a press conference at the National Assembly, Shin remarked, "I do not see the merger itself as the goal." He added, "The recent local elections yielded poor results due to the failure of the alliance. The thought of the 2028 general elections and the 2030 presidential elections is daunting." He urged for discussions on how progressive and reformist forces can unite.
Additionally, Shin proposed the establishment of a 'One Team' platform for governance to the Democratic Party. He stated, "If we elevate the roundtable discussions from the last presidential election to a permanent consultative body, the engine of governance will operate much more vigorously."
He declared, "We must all become a cohesive 'One Team' for the success of the people's sovereignty government, and the Justice Innovation Party is committed to paving the way for the people's victory."
Meanwhile, former leader Cho Kuk also posted on Facebook a list of ten questions the Democratic Party must answer regarding the re-election in Pyeongtaek.
Cho questioned, "Why did the Democratic Party choose to nominate candidates this time, unlike in the past when they refrained from nominations due to their own faults?" He pressed, "Will the Democratic Party continue to pressure only Justice Innovation Party candidates to withdraw in the 2028 general elections?"
He also noted, "The Democratic Party proposed a merger before the June 3 local elections but halted it due to internal disagreements. They rejected both unification and merger during the election period. Now, is the Justice Innovation Party merely a necessary presence for the Democratic Party to fill numbers during committee and plenary votes?"
* This article has been translated by AI.
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