Lee Nak-yeon "Donggyodong Elders, Please Support from Outside the Democratic Party" Denies Return-to-Party Rumors

Lee Nak-yeon, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending the joint meeting of the Judiciary Committee held at the National Assembly on the 8th and delivering an opening remark. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Wondara] Lee Nak-yeon, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, drew a line on rumors of the reinstatement of senior Donggyodong faction figures such as former lawmakers Jeong Dae-cheol and Kwon No-gap.

On the morning of the 12th, at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly, Lee said, "I believe that the senior members of the Donggyodong faction will support the Democratic Party in a dignified manner from outside the party."

Lee has a close relationship with the Donggyodong faction, having served as chief of staff to then-party leader Jeong Dae-cheol during the New Millennium Democratic Party era. Recently, as it became known that Lee and former lawmaker Jeong met and exchanged opinions on the presidential election situation, there was analysis that the reinstatement of senior Donggyodong faction figures was imminent.

As controversy grew within the Democratic Party, the party sent a text message to reporters the previous day stating, "Discussions about the reinstatement of Donggyodong faction figures reported by some media outlets are completely unfounded, and there are no plans for such in the future."

Choi In-ho, senior spokesperson for the Democratic Party and a close aide to Lee, also expressed on Facebook that morning, "We ask that Jeong Dae-cheol not take an interest in the Democratic Party of Korea," and added, "We strongly regret the media leaking discussions of reinstatement as if they exist, despite knowing well that neither our party nor leadership is pursuing reinstatement."

He pointed out, "Our party members clearly remember that after leaving the party amid all sorts of slanders, he devoted himself to the election of another party's presidential candidate, effectively rejecting regime change," and asked, "Isn't this shameful to younger politicians?"

Meanwhile, the figures referred to as the Donggyodong faction, former Democratic Party members, left the Democratic Party in 2015 after conflicts with then-leader Moon Jae-in during the New Politics Alliance for Democracy era and supported former lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo's founding of the People's Party.

After the People's Party split in 2018, they joined the Party for Democracy and Peace but did not join either side during the split into the Alternative New Party. Ahead of the 21st general election, they sought to rejoin the Democratic Party, saying they would "lend strength to the election," but were not accepted.

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