Democratic Party candidates Kim Min-seok, Jeong Cheong-rae, and Song Young-gil engaged in a heated debate on August 5 during their second televised forum, addressing recent allegations regarding the timing of judicial reforms, suspicions of party defections, and controversies surrounding membership in the Shincheonji religious group.
During the debate held at KBS, the candidates presented their platforms while also confronting various accusations against each other.
Jeong opened the discussion by referencing the defection histories of Kim and Song. When asked about his strengths compared to his opponents, Jeong stated, "I did not leave the party when I was cut off 10 years ago and participated in support campaigns. For the identity and legitimacy of the Democratic Party, the party leader should not have a history of leaving the party. I believe I have an advantage over the two candidates who have defected."
In response, Song accused Jeong of engaging in negative campaigning, calling him a "liar" for claiming he would not continue such attacks. He asserted, "I am Song Young-gil, who did not focus on personal politics and gave up my district to protect President Lee Jae-myung, and I will stand by him until the end."
Kim highlighted his experience as the first Prime Minister under President Lee, emphasizing his relationship with the president. He remarked, "I have criticized President Lee at times, but I have proven my ability to govern as Prime Minister. Supporting the president is a virtue of the ruling party."
In a subsequent segment of the debate, Kim and Jeong clashed over the timing of judicial reform legislation. Kim pointed out that Jeong opposed the government's request to abolish supplementary investigative powers back in May when he was the party leader. He questioned, "Why is there still doubt about the president's commitment to judicial reform, especially with writer Yoo Si-min at the center of it?"
Jeong countered, asserting, "Everyone knows that I have been the strongest advocate for judicial reform. If the government had the will for reform, why didn’t the task force under the Prime Minister submit any bills?" He added, "We held a debate on May 6, and the local election campaign began on May 20. I regret Kim's evasive comments given that the National Assembly could not convene for two weeks after the debate."
The candidates also exchanged barbs over the Shincheonji membership controversy. Kim questioned, "Isn't raising the issue of church-state entanglement a serious matter that warrants disciplinary action?" Jeong dismissed the allegations, calling them "malicious claims aimed at dragging the convention into the mud. A sincere apology and reflection are necessary."
When Kim reiterated that concerns about Shincheonji's interference in the primaries were also raised by Jeong's associate, Choi Min-hee, Jeong warned, "Kim's irresponsible allegations have even prompted calls for an investigation from the People Power Party. If I become the party leader, I will have Kim investigated by the ethics committee to resolve this issue."
Meanwhile, Song continued to challenge Jeong. Jeong accused Kim of causing a decline in the president's approval ratings due to his unilateral announcement of a single-item leveraged ETF during his tenure as Prime Minister without consulting the party. Song responded, "It is hard to understand why the government and the party could not coordinate on the ETF launch. What does it say about the government's trust in the party if they did not even consult?"
* This article has been translated by AI.
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