Chung Chung-rae, Kim Min-seok Clash Over 'Self-Serving Politics' in DPK Leadership Race

The Democratic Party of Korea's (DPK) leadership contest is escalating into a "grave-digging" battle in which candidates dig into each other's past. The earlier emphasis on being "one team" has vanished, and as negative campaigning between factions and proxy fights among supporters intensify around candidates Chung Chung-rae and Kim Min-seok, the leadership race is descending into a mudslinging affair.

Just one day after declaring he "would not engage in negative campaigning," former DPK leader Chung Chung-rae went on the offensive against former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, taking issue with Kim's "leadership dream" remark. In response, Kim shot back at attacks over his "absence from the vote on the motion to lift the Dec. 3 emergency martial law," saying it was "like watching the Daejang-dong case." A pro-Lee (Jae-myung) civic group filed a complaint against Supreme Council member Lee Sung-yoon, a Chung ally who had criticized Kim, showing the conflict is spreading to the supporter level.

"The prime minister, who should be devoting himself to state affairs, stirred up trouble by making the 'leadership dream' remark out of time, place and occasion (TPO). This is a representative example of self-serving politics," Chung claimed on Facebook Monday. It was a counterattack against Kim, who the previous day had declared his bid for the party leadership and criticized Chung, saying "over the past year, the harm of 'self-serving politics' has thrown the party into confusion." In January this year, Kim had said on the YouTube channel "3PRO TV," "Since the DPK leadership is a very proud position, of course there is a dream to have it."

Chung took aim at Kim, saying, "If someone claims 'that person is doing self-serving politics,' then that person is doing self-serving politics too." He listed his actions one by one since taking office as party leader, rebutting Kim's "self-serving politics" criticism point by point, and at the end of his post wrote, "I will continue to write posts like this often on various topics," signaling an active response.

Kim responded to Chung's reaction by saying, "He answered the problem I raised," adding, "Since Chung, while saying he 'would not engage in negative campaigning,' countered by asking 'isn't this self-serving politics?', it has been confirmed that the issue I raised is an important point the party needs to settle."

The nerve war between the candidates immediately spread into a proxy fight among their aides. Supreme Council member Lee Sung-yoon, a Chung ally, continued his offensive on this day as on the previous one, raising Kim's "absence from the vote on the Dec. 3 motion to lift martial law" and saying, "The explanation that he 'took cold medicine and fell asleep' alone does not sufficiently explain the situation at the time." Rep. Choi Min-hee also joined in, referring to text messages Rep. Lee Eon-ju had exchanged with a cabinet member during the controversy over merging with the Rebuilding Korea Party, asking, "Who exchanged the Telegram messages meant to shake up the merger?"

The pro-Kim faction immediately counterattacked. Rep. Park Beom-kye criticized, "Bringing up the martial law issue, which is a matter from before taking power, is unbecoming of a legal professional and does not match the facts." Supreme Council member Kang Deuk-gu delivered a direct hit, saying, "Such questions are no different from the way independent Rep. Han Dong-hoon raised issues," calling it "nitpicking-style questioning." Kim also expressed displeasure in a radio interview that day, saying, "The 'cold medicine controversy' really feels like watching the Daejang-dong investigation."

Supporters joined in as well. The Civic Action for Establishing Judicial Justice, a pro-Lee civic group, said it would file a complaint Tuesday against Supreme Council member Lee on charges of defamation through false statements under the Information and Communications Network Act. In pro-Lee online communities, users are attacking Chung by sharing photos of him campaigning against the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA) pushed under the Roh Moo-hyun government in the past. It was a jab at Chung for taking a pro-Roh (Moo-hyun) course.

Concern is also growing within the ruling camp over the overheated competition. Hong Ik-pyo, senior presidential secretary for political affairs, said in an interview with the presidential office new media press corps Saturday, "If it expands into personal conflict, that is truly wrong."