Yoo Seung-hee Protests at Democratic Party Leader's Office Demanding "Primary Election Review"

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeon Jin-young] Amid ongoing internal discord within the Democratic Party of Korea over the 4.15 general election nominations, Representative Yoo Seung-hee directly visited the party leadership to lodge a protest. The political consulting and public opinion polling firm that Yoo accused of irregularities has announced plans to file a lawsuit, escalating the dispute into a legal battle.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Having been eliminated in the Seoul Seongbuk-gap primary, Yoo held a placard reading "Investigate the allegations of primary election fraud" in front of the Democratic Party leader's office on the morning of the 12th. She submitted a petition to the party's executive committee that day and requested a meeting with party leader Lee Hae-chan, but was refused.

The protest was joined by local constituents supporting Yoo and her spouse, Professor Yoo Jong-seong. Professor Yoo appealed to the lawmakers attending the executive committee meeting, distributing a letter urging, "Do not let a problem that could be stopped with a hoe escalate to one that cannot be stopped even with a plow. Please thoroughly investigate the allegations of primary election fraud." He also criticized party members responsible for managing nominations, including Representative Won Hye-young, saying, "Please handle the nominations properly." He was even restrained by party officials when he attempted to forcibly enter the party leader's office where the meeting was underway.

The lawmakers' reactions were cold. Secretary-General Yoon Ho-jung told Professor Yoo, "Please try to persuade Representative Yoo to think rationally," which led to Professor Yoo's backlash.

The controversy began when Yoo, who lost in the primary, raised suspicions against Winzi Korea Consulting, a political consulting and public opinion polling firm. She claimed, "There is a collusive relationship between Winzi Korea Consulting and the primary candidates," rejecting the primary results. On the 11th, she held a forum titled "Problems in the Democratic Party Nomination Process and ARS Primaries," demanding a thorough investigation. In response, Park Si-young, CEO of Winzi Korea Consulting, countered, "We will file a lawsuit against Representative Yoo Seung-hee and preliminary candidate Park Woo-seop, who raised allegations of fraud."

Speaking to reporters in front of the party leader's office that day, Yoo said, "Since the meeting with the party leader did not materialize, I asked the party leader's chief secretary to review the primary results and resolve the suspicions through a re-primary. I also firmly requested that the leadership be informed of the two points: the need to resolve the suspicions and the conviction that this is a case of 'theft nomination'."

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