The Democratic Party of Korea's Central Committee Blocks Public Endorsement of Jeonnam Preliminary Candidates

Blocking Controversies Over Unfair Primaries That Undermine Party Unity and Public Endorsement of Specific Candidates

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Seo Young-seo] The Democratic Party of Korea issued a notice titled “Guidelines for Compliance with Neutrality in Primaries, Including Prohibition of Public Endorsements by Elected Officials for General Election (Preliminary) Candidates” to elected officials affiliated with the party on the 3rd, defining such acts as party division and initiating crackdowns.

Secretary-General Yoon Ho-jung stated, “According to Article 8 (Fair Performance of Duties) of the party’s ethical code, party-affiliated officials and party staff must not engage in acts that promote party division, such as lining up supporters,” and added, “Public endorsement of specific candidates by elected officials undermines party unity and can cause disputes over unfairness in upcoming primaries, leading to aftereffects that negatively impact the general election.”

He continued, “As a guideline, elected officials of the Democratic Party must comply with the prohibition on public endorsements of specific candidates and the obligation of neutrality in primaries, and we ask elected officials to fully commit to realizing the party’s values and securing victory in the general election.”

This appears to be the party’s official interpretation of recent endorsement events by city, provincial, and county council members in Gwangju and Jeonnam as lining up supporters and causing disputes over unfairness in primaries.

On the 30th of last month, four provincial council members and twenty county council members from the Muan, Yeongam, and Sinan areas of Jeonnam held a press conference pledging support for Seo Sam-seok, a Democratic Party member of the National Assembly seeking re-election in the April 15 general election, and vowed victory.

In response, Democratic Party preliminary candidates Bae Yong-tae and Baek Jae-wook (Jeonnam Yeongam·Muan·Sinan electoral district) strongly criticized the local council members’ endorsement of Assemblyman Seo Sam-seok in a joint statement.

Also, on the 30th of last month, city and provincial council members in the Mokpo area publicly declared their support for Kim Won-i, a Democratic Party preliminary candidate (Mokpo City electoral district) running in the April 15 general election.

Conversely, there were preliminary candidates who opposed and criticized the lining up of local council members.

Woo Ki-jong, a Democratic Party preliminary candidate who declared his candidacy for the 21st general election in Mokpo, stated on the 7th, “During this general election competition, I have decided not to make endorsement declarations that line up local council members and cause party division,” adding, “It is regrettable that current city, provincial, and county council members recently declared support for specific preliminary candidates, as it seems to provoke old-fashioned politics and regional conflicts.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.