A note of caution has emerged within the Democratic Party as some members push to pass a special counsel bill on "fabricated indictments" during the regular parliamentary session in September. The bill aims to investigate allegations that prosecutors pursued targeted and fabricated cases under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration.
Han Min-soo, a supreme council member of the Democratic Party, said on the 25th on SBS Radio's "Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show" that "a sufficient process of deliberation within the party and among the public is needed." Han said such deliberation had been called for by the presidential office before the local elections, adding, "These deliberations are necessary."
Earlier, Park Sung-joon, the party's chief spokesperson, said in a radio interview on the 24th that he had conveyed his position to ruling-party members of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee. "I conveyed my personal position that, now that the prosecution's fabricated indictments have been laid bare, it is right to pass the special counsel bill once the regular September session begins," Park said.
In response, Han noted that "Spokesperson Park also said it was his personal opinion," adding that "so far there has been no process within the leadership in which this issue was raised or discussed." He added, "There is indeed a bill that has been introduced, but how to approach it and what to include in it will need to be discussed quite carefully and precisely."
Han, who served as chief of staff to former Democratic Party leader Jung Chung-rae and is regarded as a key figure in the pro-Jung faction, said of the results of the party's national convention, marked by intense competition among factions, "A party convention is fierce in any party," stressing, "We are one team."
Taking aim at the People Power Party, which is undergoing internal division, he said, "Look at that party. If you look at the level at which they are disciplining their sitting lawmakers, isn't it about blocking them from even running in general elections and removing them politically?" He added, "We have the 'Democratic Party DNA.' We compete fiercely, but once it is over, we have the strength to come together as one."
With the party leadership set to have dinner with President Lee Jae-myung that afternoon, Han said, "It will be an occasion to reaffirm that the party, the government and the presidential office must become one team centered on the president and succeed for the sake of our government." Asked about the message he would deliver at the dinner, he said, "Would I talk about it now even if I had one?" adding, "I am thinking about what to say."
On author Yoo Si-man, a commentator aligned with the broader ruling camp, who criticized the Lee Jae-myung government the previous day on YouTube as "heading toward a monarchy," Han was measured, saying, "I haven't seen the whole video, so I don't know the context in which that remark came out," while adding, "I see it as each person's area of judgment. I don't entirely agree."
