Jung Cheong-rae, a candidate for the leadership of the Democratic Party, reaffirmed on July 29 that the "Myeongcheong conflict"—the dispute between President Lee Jae-myung and himself—is a fabrication. However, he stated that he is open to the "Seokcheong conflict" with fellow candidate Kim Min-seok.
During an appearance on CBS Radio's "Park Seong-tae's News Show," Jung questioned, "How can I fight with President Lee?" He added, "What benefit would I gain from fighting with him? A high approval rating for the president and the party is good for me as well." He emphasized that this situation is a product of media division and framing.
Regarding the recent controversy involving Shincheonji, Jung described it as "extremely inappropriate" and insisted that evidence must be provided. If not, he stated, a sincere apology is necessary. He characterized the issue as a serious matter that requires prompt investigation and action from the party. After Jung threatened legal action against the allegations, Kim clarified that he was merely raising an internal party issue and not targeting any specific candidate.
Additionally, Jung criticized National Assembly Speaker Cho Jeong-sik for his comments at a press conference the previous day, where Cho stated that the re-election of a sitting president depends on the will of the electorate. Jung remarked, "It seems that Speaker Cho is weak on details. He should have responded that it is impossible according to Article 128 of the Constitution."
In response to the ensuing controversy, Cho expressed regret for any misunderstandings caused by his remarks, explaining that he intended to convey that constitutional amendments, including changes to the power structure, require consensus among political actors and the choice of the people.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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