The Democratic Party has expressed concerns over the escalating tensions within the party ahead of its leadership convention scheduled for August. Party lawmakers are particularly wary of the potential for division and emphasize the need to support the administration of President Lee Jae-myung.
Song Young-gil, a prominent candidate for the leadership position, stated on June 22 during an appearance on MBC Radio's "Kim Jong-bae's Focus" that the new leadership elected at the convention must work to transform the party and collaborate with the government.
"We need to think about how the Democratic Party can heal its wounds and unify to support the Lee government," Song said, adding that establishing a proper relationship between the party and the government is crucial. He stressed that the convention should reflect the will of the people and warned against it becoming a battleground for internal conflicts, likely referencing the recent decline in support for the party compared to the opposition.
Park Ji-won also highlighted the ongoing tension within the party as it approaches the convention, calling for unity among progressives. In an interview on YTN Radio's "Jang Sung-cheol's News Room," he remarked, "Progressives need to come together, but are we doing that ahead of the convention?" He noted that President Lee has four years left in his term and expressed concern about the internal strife, especially with no major national elections scheduled in the next two years.
Lee Kwang-jae proposed a running mate system for the party leadership candidates and suggested that appointed members should be recommended by representatives from local governments. He expressed his worries about the divisions and conflicts arising before the convention.
On Facebook, Lee stated, "I am deeply concerned about the divisions and conflicts occurring ahead of the convention. We need to create a policy-oriented and unifying convention. We must break the structure where the party leader and the highest-ranking members run as a pair, as this fosters factions and disrupts nominations." He added that the two appointed members should be selected based on recommendations from local government representatives to better understand the promises made during local elections, emphasizing the need to honor and provide opportunities to comrades who have fought hard in challenging regions.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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