The leadership of the Democratic Party of Korea pushed back against writer Yoo Si-min, a commentator on the progressive side who criticized President Lee Jae-myung, and stressed unity within the camp.
Choi Min-hee, a member of the party's Supreme Council, said at a council meeting at the National Assembly on the 23rd that "the president's intent is clear — that democratic reform forces should become one again, and then expand toward the center." She added, "After saying that we are all pro-Moon, pro-Kim Dae-jung and comrades of Lee Jae-myung, he has begun a small but significant course of action."
Apparently mindful of reactions from parts of the political world that stoke conflict within the camp, Choi said, "In politics, words are half of everything. Words can be used as a political tool to attack someone, and they can be used as a means of deepening division." She continued, "But words can sometimes be used as a lamp that makes everyone one and opens the future. We will use that kind of language as well."
Choi noted, in the context of internal unity, that President Lee had given a critical biography of Roh Moo-hyun to every Democratic Party lawmaker, and said that "before his overseas trip he paid his respects to former President Moon Jae-in, and he is said to have personally contacted Chung Chung-rae, the former party leader who is hospitalized, to offer comfort." She stressed, "The Democratic Party will uphold President Lee's commitment to unity and his will to address people's livelihoods," adding, "Our leadership will also serve party leader Kim Min-seok well and press ahead on livelihood issues."
Jeon Yong-gi, another Supreme Council member, directly targeted Yoo, who criticized President Lee over the direction of prosecution reform by saying the president had "deceived the public all along." Jeon said, "Recently some have gone so far as to say the president 'deceived the public' over prosecution reform," adding, "I express strong regret."
He said, "I will not take lightly the urgency of those who have long worked for reform on the progressive side," but added, "Still, I find it hard to agree with the word 'deceived.' The principle of separating investigation from prosecution has already been set, and in October the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency and the Public Prosecution Office will actually open their doors. Sincerity about reform should be judged by the results the institutions produce, not by the intensity of words."
Jeon said, "We have walked toward the same goal," warning that "we can debate methods, but there is no reason to doubt each other's sincerity. The harsher the words between us become, the only side smiling will be the People Power Party, which wants to halt reform."
Earlier, Yoo appeared on the YouTube channel of Media Today on the 22nd and said, "The prosecution reform President Lee had in mind was completely different from what we had in mind. The president has deceived the public all along." On the erosion of support among the president's base, he also said, "This is not a problem created by a single remark. The stage where this could be settled with talk about needing to unite at a press conference passed long ago."
