Jung Cheong-rae, the leader of the Democratic Party, characterized the recent factional conflicts between the Pro-Jung (Pro-Jung Cheong-rae) and Pro-Lee (Pro-Lee Jae-myung) groups as "malicious divisiveness" ahead of the party's convention scheduled for August. He emphasized that all members of the Democratic Party are aligned in wishing for the success of the Lee administration.
During a Supreme Council meeting held on the morning of June 17 at the National Assembly, Jung sought to quell the controversy sparked by his earlier remarks about the brevity of political power. With the party convention approaching, tensions have risen between Jung, who is likely to challenge for party leadership, and Kim Min-seok, the party's secretary-general, reflecting deeper factional divides.
"Some media outlets are obsessively focusing on the distinctions between the Pro-Jung and Pro-Kim factions, which I find to be a malicious attempt to divide us," Jung stated. "If there must be a distinction, I consider myself a party member and a reformist."
He added, "The Democratic Party is united in its desire for the success of the Lee administration. In that sense, all Democratic Party members and supporters who wish for the success of the Lee government and the restoration of our party's power are party members and reformists. We must raise the banner of party sovereignty and unite around President Lee to move forward."
Previously, on June 10, Jung had remarked during a Supreme Council meeting that "the people are eternal, but political power is short-lived," which led to speculation that his comments were directed at President Lee.
Additionally, Jung addressed the claims of election fraud raised by the People Power Party regarding the shortage of ballots during the June 3 local elections. He condemned these allegations as unconstitutional and undemocratic, stating, "The refusal to accept election results is a violation of the constitution and democratic principles. What is needed now is a thorough investigation, accountability for those responsible, and measures to prevent recurrence and reform. Attempts to incite unnecessary social conflict will not be tolerated."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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