Park Jie-won, a lawmaker of the Democratic Party of Korea (DP), expressed agreement Monday with President Lee Jae-myung's message emphasizing the ruling party's inclusiveness and unlimited responsibility, calling it "true in every word," and stressed that "the right attitude is for Party Leader Jung Chung-rae to take full responsibility for matters including the local election results and resign."
Appearing on SBS Radio's "Kim Tae-hyun's Politics Show" on Monday, Park referred to the president's social media post titled "The Ruling Party, the Opposition, and Political Responsibility," saying, "The ruling party bears unlimited responsibility, and while fighting the opposition is important, it must fulfill its duty to the people."
Regarding the interpretation that the message was aimed at Jung, Park said, "I don't want to say so definitively," but added, "As the most senior elder lawmaker, the message means we should all calm down, and the president raised an issue that Jung should also think about deeply." He then pointed to Jung's remark that "power is short-lived," calling it "a wrong statement," and noted, "Even if the president makes mistakes, a ruling party leader should quietly make suggestions and manage the situation."
Park took particular aim at the party's recent decline in approval ratings. "President Lee's approval rating, which was close to 70%, has crossed the dead cross into negative evaluation, and the DP's approval rating is also coming out behind within the margin of error," he said. "The party leader must take responsibility for this."
On the possibility of Jung seeking re-election as party leader at the national convention, Park said it was "a matter for him to decide," but added, "If it were me, I would not run." He continued, "Does it make sense for the president and the leader of the ruling party to fight? Pointing fingers leads to punches, and in the end it is only the people who get a bloody nose. When the paulownia leaf falls, you should know autumn has come."
Park also urged, "In Gwangju and the Honam region, the roots of the DP, criticism is plummeting with voices asking, 'Is Honam a battlefield?'" He repeatedly called for action, saying, "We must heed the public sentiment that everyone will perish if we fail to win the general election and retain power, and act in a manner befitting the ruling party."
