Democratic Party leadership contenders — former party leader Chung Chung-rae, former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, and Rep. Song Young-gil — revealed differences over various issues at a lawmaker workshop, raising their profiles.
According to political sources Wednesday, the three candidates met with reporters and stated their positions on party issues during the lawmaker workshop held the previous day at the Dragon City Hotel in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. The three, who had refrained from direct confrontation until then, publicly rebutted each other's arguments. On the timing of their official candidacy declarations, all said they would "confirm and announce soon."
Chung and Kim clashed over the so-called "May processing proposal theory" related to the government's abolition of the prosecution's supplementary investigation authority. Chung drew a line, saying, "I have never heard of such a proposal, nor do I remember it," and "The government did not submit the bill."
In response, Kim countered, "As I have said repeatedly, regarding the processing of prosecution reform bills, I judged it would be better to split them into first and second phases and process the first phase early after reviewing the first prosecution reform discussion, and I conveyed this to the party through various channels," adding, "I don't think I need to say any more."
The dispute over the one-member-one-vote system also continued. Kim said, "I have originally been someone who advocated for the one-member-one-vote system," but added, "In this national convention, we should uphold that spirit, but if more comprehensive supplementation is needed, it is a matter to be addressed step by step."
Chung criticized this, saying it was "an attempt to shake the one-member-one-vote system." He stressed, "Before the June 1987 struggle, we could not elect the president with our own hands. The one-member-one-vote system is a revolutionary matter comparable to that," adding, "Party members hate and are angered so much by any words that damage this even slightly, that I am speaking on their behalf."
Rep. Song took aim at Chung over the government's "three mega projects." Meeting reporters at the National Assembly, he said, regarding North Jeolla Governor Lee Won-taek's theory of North Jeolla's marginalization, "It is not appropriate. Chung also made remarks in agreement."
Chung explained in response, "I express regret to the person who made the remarks (Rep. Song) and to the media," and "When I went to Gunsan, a North Jeolla resident who was a market merchant said that. It was not something I said; I heard them say it and said I would make up for and heal their sense of loss."
