Former Democratic Party of Korea Chairman Song Young-gil will complete his return to the party on January 27, three years after leaving amid allegations of cash envelope distribution at a party convention.
The party leadership is scheduled to report and vote on Song's reinstatement at a supreme council meeting to be held in Daegu to mark the anniversary of the Daegu Democracy Movement.
"The matter of former Chairman Song's return will be reported, and it is expected to pass without difficulty," multiple party officials said.
Song submitted his application for reinstatement at the Incheon party office on January 20. The application was subsequently transferred to the Seoul party office, which had jurisdiction when he left the party. The central party's membership review committee reportedly reached a favorable conclusion on January 26 after reviewing his reinstatement request.
Song left the party in April 2023 after becoming embroiled in allegations of distributing cash envelopes and receiving illegal political funds at the 2021 party convention. He subsequently founded and led the Pine Tree Party. On January 13, he was acquitted in the appellate trial of the case, resolving his legal risks and prompting his decision to return.
Song is reportedly focusing on running in his former constituency of Gyeyang-eul, Incheon, in the parliamentary by-election scheduled alongside the June 3 local elections. Song had relinquished his parliamentary seat to run for Seoul mayor in the 2022 local elections, passing the constituency to President Lee Jae-myung. Meanwhile, Kim Nam-jun, former presidential spokesperson and a key aide to President Lee, has also expressed interest in running in Gyeyang-eul.