DP Spokesman Denies Party Rift, Calls 'Pro-Lee vs Pro-Chung' Framing a Divisive Tactic

Park Soo-hyun, chief spokesman of the Democratic Party of Korea, dismissed claims of internal party divisions on Tuesday, saying "There is no 'pro-Chung' faction in the Democratic Party. There is only 'pro-Lee.'"

Park argued that the framing of "pro-Lee versus pro-Chung" is "a rain dance to divide the Democratic Party."

"The Democratic Party shares a common destiny with the success of the Lee Jae-myung government. There is not a single person in the Democratic Party who wishes for the failure of the Lee Jae-myung government," Park wrote on Facebook.

He criticized the characterization of recent party events, including the rejection of a party charter amendment on Sunday and the upcoming by-election for Supreme Council member, as a "showdown between pro-Lee and pro-Chung factions."

"This is the beginning of danger," Park warned.

The controversy follows the rejection of a charter amendment at Sunday's Central Committee meeting that would have established equal voting weight between delegates and party members, known as the "one person, one vote" system. Some analysts interpreted the vote as the pro-Lee faction moving to check the leadership of Party Chairman Chung Chung-rae.

Speculation about factional conflict intensified after Yoo Dong-chul, chairman of the Suyeong District chapter in Busan who had clashed with Chung over candidate nominations for the Busan City Party chairmanship, was mentioned as a potential candidate for the Supreme Council by-election.

"We must firmly respond to external attempts to divide us. The purpose of this divisive framing is to shake the party and ultimately shake the Lee Jae-myung government," Park said.

He also urged media outlets to "exercise restraint unless they have evidence" when using the "pro-Lee versus pro-Chung" framing.

"We are comrades who have crossed the line of death together with President Lee Jae-myung," Park said. "Now we must cross that line once again with the people for the success of the Lee Jae-myung government."