Alternative and Peace Factions Clash with Shouting and Scuffles over Proportional Alliance Party Participation... Bareunmirae Faction's Last Stand (Comprehensive)

Excluded Bareunmirae Faction... Co-Leader Kim Jeong-hwa 'Chokes Up'
Park Joo-hyun and Jang Jeong-suk Force Approval at Emergency Supreme Council
Controversy Over Party Charter Interpretation and Meeting Chair Authority
Minsaeng Party Union: "Democratic Party's Personal Property"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] On the 18th, the Minsaeng Party clashed head-on over the Democratic Party of Korea's push to participate in a proportional representation coalition party. The Alternative New Party and Democratic Peace Party factions insisted on adopting a party stance at the Supreme Council meeting based on discussions at the previous day’s parliamentary meeting, while Kim Jeong-hwa, co-representative from the Bareunmirae Party faction, refused to put the agenda on the table and left. Loud arguments continued during the closed Supreme Council session. In response, Park Joo-hyun, co-representative from the Democratic Peace Party faction, held an emergency Supreme Council meeting and passed the agenda excluding the Bareunmirae Party faction.

At a press briefing held immediately after the emergency Supreme Council meeting, Co-representative Park said, "According to the party constitution, the party leader has the authority to convene meetings. Whether it is me, Co-representative Kim, or Co-representative Yoo Seong-yeop, we all have the right to convene," adding, "There is no legal issue with this." During this process, Bareunmirae Party faction officials strongly protested. About ten officials from the Bareunmirae Party faction held hand placards with messages such as "We strongly oppose participation in the pro-Moon coalition party" and shouted, "The Supreme Council decision is invalid," and "Where else is this kind of process accepted?"

Co-representative Park and Floor Leader Jang Jeong-sook attempted to continue the press conference immediately after the Supreme Council meeting, but moved to another location due to disturbances inside the venue. When officials from the Bareunmirae Party faction followed, officials from the Alternative New Party and Democratic Peace Party factions blocked them, leading to physical scuffles. Floor Leader Jang said, "Co-representative Kim always talks about the party constitution but why imitate the bad behavior of opposition parties?" and added, "Today, they silently protested by not wearing the Minsaeng Party jumper. It means they do not want to be with Minsaeng Party," sharpening her tone.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Bareunmirae Party faction clearly expressed opposition to the proportional representation coalition party. At the Supreme Council meeting, Co-representative Kim criticized, "Whether to participate in the proportional representation coalition party is a matter related to the party’s direction, not a major policy or bill," and urged, "The new floor leadership should comply with the party constitution." He further stated, "Are you trying to sell the party to the pro-Moon (pro-Moon Jae-in) faction?" and "Those who treat the public lightly and try to drive the party to the brink of illegality should decisively leave the Minsaeng Party now."

After the Supreme Council meeting, Co-representative Kim told reporters, "I apologize for the loud arguments inside. With the election approaching, we could not continue to coordinate differences. We should have reconciled the conflicts more, but we failed to do so," and added with a choked voice, "We did not create this party to become the Democratic Party’s second squad. Younger politicians should be ashamed of such disgraceful politics."

Supreme Council member Lee In-hee also said, "Minsaeng Party, which even filed a complaint that the creation of a proportional party itself violates the Political Parties Act, joining the proportional representation coalition party is a serious self-contradiction and the ultimate self-defeating act. It is shameful enough to submit a self-complaint to the prosecution," and added, "Park Ji-won should stop the political maneuver of selling the party entirely to the Democratic Party while dividing the party and retire from politics."

Currently, controversy continues within the party over the interpretation of the party constitution and regulations and the authority to preside over meetings. According to Article 53 of the party constitution and regulations, the function and authority of the parliamentary meeting are defined as adopting and changing party stances on major policies and bills. Even if participation in the proportional representation coalition party is considered a major policy, Article 57 of the party constitution and regulations stipulates that adopting and changing party stances on major policies and bills requires approval by two-thirds or more of the total members. Currently, Minsaeng Party has 25 members, so 17 votes in favor are needed to adopt a party stance by two-thirds. However, the Alternative New Party and Democratic Peace Party factions passed the decision at the parliamentary meeting with a majority of members present and a majority of votes from those present. They claim this is a legitimate procedure as the parliamentary meeting resolved to request the Supreme Council to decide the party stance.

The Minsaeng Party labor union and the Bareunmirae Party secretariat labor union issued a statement on the day, saying, "Are the lawmakers who left because they disliked the party and then returned because they wanted to be elected, now trying to sell the party to the two major parties, even conscious of their conscience?" and criticized, "Lawmakers advocating participation in the proportional representation coalition party should clarify whether they are Minsaeng Party lawmakers or Democratic Party’s hunting dogs."

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