Preliminary Candidates from Cheong Background Line Up for Basic Councilor Positions... Democratic Party "No Means of Sanction"

Local councilors assist Yoon Young-chan, Jung Tae-ho, Bok Ki-wang, and other Blue House-origin candidates' campaigns
Yoon Ho-jung, Secretary-General, issues warning letter on ethics violations but lacks enforcement measures
Democratic Party candidates say "Old politics repeat... New politicians cannot survive"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Wondara] Controversy is arising as Democratic Party preliminary candidates with backgrounds from the Blue House are mobilizing local councilors from their constituencies for election campaigns. The Democratic Party preliminary candidates are protesting, saying, "Mobilizing incumbent local councilors for election campaigns is essentially a form of lineup control wielded by those holding the nomination rights," while the Democratic Party states that aside from issuing caution through official letters, there are no other punitive measures available.

According to political circles on the 11th, Yoon Ho-jung, Secretary-General of the Democratic Party, recently sent a 'No Lineup Control Official Letter' to each preliminary candidate. In this letter, Secretary-General Yoon stated, "From this moment, we guide the compliance with the prohibition of public endorsement of specific candidates by elected officials affiliated with the party and the obligation to remain neutral during primaries." This is due to incumbent local councilors reading statements of support or holding press conferences for specific preliminary candidates. Article 8 of the Democratic Party's Code of Ethics, 'Fair Performance of Duties,' stipulates that "party-affiliated public officials and party officers must not incite party division through lineup control or similar actions."

However, as confirmed by Asia Economy, as of this day, preliminary candidates with Blue House backgrounds who have local city and district councilors participating in their campaigns include former National Communication Secretary Yoon Young-chan (Seongnam-si Jungwon-gu), former Job Secretary Jeong Tae-ho (Seoul Gwanak-eul), and former Political Secretary Bok Ki-wang (Asan-si Gap). City and district councilors from these constituencies have used social networking services (SNS) and text messages to encourage support for each preliminary candidate in the primary opinion polls conducted last week. They have also promoted book publication events and joined campaign greetings at subway stations or bus stops during morning commutes.

Preliminary candidates from the same Democratic Party are strongly opposing this. They argue that since members of the National Assembly exert influence over local council nominations, this is a typical recurrence of lineup control practices. One Democratic Party preliminary candidate criticized, "Despite the central party sending official letters, Blue House-affiliated preliminary candidates are not adhering to them, which means the Democratic Party is repeating old-fashioned politics that it aims to prevent through systemized nominations." There are also criticisms that this practice has become entrenched not only among Blue House-affiliated preliminary candidates but also among the Democratic Party leadership and incumbent lawmakers. A political insider said, "When voters see a candidate campaigning with a large number of regional chairpersons and city councilors, it creates an impression of great power," adding, "Although the Democratic Party emphasizes political newcomers, in this structure, it is very difficult for newcomers to succeed."

Among some Democratic Party preliminary candidates, there is a movement to file complaints with the party's Ethics Committee. They argue that this violates the party's code of ethics and encourages the privatization of local councilors. One Democratic Party preliminary candidate said, "We cannot help but question whether this is fairness and justice," and added, "We are considering filing a complaint with the party's Ethics Committee." However, the central party maintains that aside from issuing cautionary official letters, no further action can be taken. Democratic Party floor spokesperson Jeong Chun-sook stated, "The fact that the official letter was sent itself shows that the party recognizes these issues," and added, "At present, there are no plans to hold disciplinary actions or convene the Ethics Committee regarding this matter."

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