Jung Bong-ju: "May Demand 'Party-to-Party Integration' from Democratic Party After General Election"

"Yeollindang Candidates Only Failed to Meet Democratic Party Establishment Standards"
"We Are People Who Dedicated Ourselves to the Success of the Moon Jae-in Government... We Do Not Want to Respond to the 'Legitimate Heir Debate' with Wordplay"

Jeong Bong-ju, Supreme Council Member of the Open Democratic Party (center), is speaking at a press conference held with the Open Democratic Party proportional representation candidates in front of the National Assembly on the 22nd of last month. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Lim Juhyung] Jeong Bong-ju, the election committee chairman of the Open Democratic Party, hinted at the possibility of a 'party-to-party merger' with the Democratic Party of Korea after the April 15 general election.

In an interview with CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show' on the 2nd, Chairman Jeong said, "There is definitely an intention to merge with the Democratic Party after the general election," but added, "However, we are not talking about an absorption merger or individual members joining, but a party-to-party merger that presents our clear policies."

Regarding Kim Hong-gul, co-chairman of the Together Citizens' Party election committee, who criticized the Open Democratic Party in a CBS interview that day as a "hastily formed party created by candidates who were eliminated from the Democratic Party," Jeong rebutted, saying, "They were only eliminated based on the Democratic Party's vested interests," and "You should judge by looking at who the candidates forming the party are."

He continued, "They keep bringing up the standard of 'elimination,' but how can it be guaranteed that this standard was established based on the history and legitimacy of the Democratic Party?" and pointed out, "It was a standard created by some vested and power groups currently controlling the Democratic Party, so how can we verify that this standard is absolutely correct?"

Regarding criticism from some within the Democratic Party and the Citizens' Party, who engaged in the so-called 'Democratic Party legitimate successor debate' against the Open Democratic Party, he said, "I don't want to respond with wordplay," emphasizing, "I have been with the Democratic Party for 33 years."

He added, "Everyone here has devoted themselves wholeheartedly and fought with all their might for the birth and success of the Moon Jae-in administration," and emphasized, "This does not mean that the Democratic Party and the Together Citizens' Party did not do so, but when voters look at the history of the candidates here, they will clearly know whom to choose."

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