Democratic Party (DP) leader Jung Chung-rae, embroiled in accountability disputes over the June 3 local elections, visited the party's traditional stronghold of Honam on Thursday in an attempt to lay the groundwork for a re-election bid. However, at an on-site leadership meeting, pro-Lee Jae-myung Supreme Council members clashed head-on with Supreme Council members aligned with Jung, further highlighting factional conflict. Supreme Council member Kang Deuk-gu countered Jung's remark that "political power is short" by responding, "Party power is even shorter."
Jung attended the Jeonnam and Gwangju Supreme Council meeting held at the Kim Dae-jung Convention Center in Seo-gu, Gwangju, where he said, "Honam is like a parent to the Democratic Party." He added, "We will humbly heed the public sentiment reflected in the June 3 local election results, and with a humbler posture, renew ourselves day by day, fill in what we lack, and refine ourselves further." He also emphasized the "party-government-presidential office one team," saying, "The success of the Lee Jae-myung government is the success of democracy and the Republic of Korea, and the work of faithfully inheriting and developing the spirit of May 18."
His choice of Gwangju as his first official regional itinerary after the election is interpreted as a move toward re-election. However, following a closed-door general meeting of lawmakers on Wednesday, the "accountability" calls against Jung intensified at Thursday's on-site leadership meeting, further highlighting factional conflict instead. Kang, a member of the pro-Lee faction, targeted Jung's "political power is short" remark, noting, "The people and party members are eternal, but party power is short." He added, "The public's assessment of the local elections was a stern warning to the Democratic Party."
Supreme Council member Hwang Myung-seon struck directly at the meeting, saying, "We did not win the June 3 local elections. We failed." He continued, "I will not run (in the party leadership election)," and said, "I urge our leadership to take a responsible stance." Although he did not refer to it directly, this was interpreted as effectively calling for Jung not to run for the leadership.
The pro-Jung faction immediately pushed back. Supreme Council member Moon Jung-bok, who is close to Jung, countered, "Words and actions that appear to shake the party citing election results and to set the party's direction ahead of party members' choices are by no means in keeping with the Democratic Party," adding, "Concern for the party should be expressed through vision, not words of division." Regarding Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, a rival for party leadership, he also criticized, "For the official responsible for representing the nation during the president's overseas trip to deliver congratulatory speeches and take photos at an elected officials' workshop for two consecutive days is hardly an urgent duty." Supreme Council member Lee Sung-yoon took aim at Jung's opponents, saying, "Since the local elections, there are forces shaking the one-member-one-vote system."
Facing accountability calls in person for two consecutive days, Jung said, "President Lee Jae-myung spoke of unity, saying, 'Would the small differences among us be greater than those with the other side?'" He added, "I hope the Democratic Party becomes one with the inclusiveness to acknowledge our differences." After the leadership meeting, Jung returned to Seoul with no other schedule in Gwangju.
Jung, who is seeking re-election, also brought up the "abolition of the prosecution's supplementary investigation authority" on Thursday, aiming to rally his core support base of hardline party members. He posted a short message reading "complete abolition of supplementary investigation authority" on his social networking service (SNS) without further explanation. The issue of prosecutorial reform is a key task that hardline rights-holding party members have demanded.
Some in the ruling bloc interpreted this as Jung setting up a confrontation, given that President Lee had previously taken a cautious stance by mentioning "exceptional permission for supplementary investigation authority." Chief spokesperson Kang Jun-hyun, meeting with reporters, said, "There may be various interpretations," but cautioned against over-interpretation, adding, "There is much work to do in the National Assembly after the election. I will focus on the work."
Intraparty debate over the "one-member-one-vote system," to be introduced from the August 17 party convention, is also growing harsher. The system reflects the vote value of delegates and rights-holding party members equally, and it is Jung's signature pledge to complete party-member democracy. Within the party, it is assessed as favorable to Jung, who enjoys strong support from rights-holding party members, and thus as groundwork for re-election. When Jung recently directly mentioned lawmakers Jeon Hyun-hee and Kim Nam-hee, who had demanded supplements to the one-member-one-vote system, on his SNS, the two lawmakers demanded an apology and pushed back. Jeon sharpened her criticism, saying, "I became the target of the party leader's public targeting and received a barrage of insults and text bombs pouring in all night." Kim pushed back, saying, "It is too shocking. I request a public apology and explanation."
