"Democratic Party Analyzes By-election Defeat: 'Should Not Have Defended Cho Guk'... Can They Reform?"

Factors Behind Ruling Party's Election Defeat Including Cho Kuk and Real Estate
Citizens Say "Starting Point of Election Defeat," "Felt Deprived"
Song Young-gil Emphasizes Reform: "Will Create a Ruling Party That Is Not Swayed"
Cho Kuk Apologizes: "Moral Responsibility... Will Accept Punishment"

Former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] The Seoul Metropolitan Party of the Democratic Party of Korea distributed an internal report diagnosing the causes of defeat in the April 7 by-elections as the Cho Kuk scandal and real estate policies to party lawmakers on the 11th. Within the Democratic Party, opinions have emerged that a clear stance on the Cho Kuk scandal should be declared, showing that the previously subdued 'reform theory' due to backlash from the pro-Moon hardliners is gaining momentum again.

Recently, the Seoul Metropolitan Party of the Democratic Party delivered the "Focus Group Interview (FGI) Results Report on Seoul Voters" analyzing the reasons for the April 7 by-election defeat to party lawmakers. The report categorizes voters into the "retained group," who have supported the Democratic Party since last year's general election, and the "defected group," who withdrew their support in this by-election, and contains an in-depth analysis of the causes of defeat.

The defected group cited the Cho Kuk scandal, real estate issues, and the Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) scandal as the main reasons for the election defeat. In particular, many opinions pointed to the Cho Kuk scandal. A female voter in her 50s lamented, "Looking at former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk and his wife, I felt so much self-loathing to the point of asking myself, 'Is it a sin that I can't do this for my own child?'"

Additionally, negative opinions about the Cho Kuk scandal were prominent, such as "The couple raised their children like that; they have their own league," and "It was the starting point that led to the election defeat."

On the previous day (the 11th), 1,618 citizens, including Professor Seo Min from Dankook University College of Medicine, filed a damage compensation lawsuit at the Seoul Central District Court, claiming 100 million won per person, totaling 1.618 billion won, for mental damages caused by Cho's illegal acts.

Among the "retained group," who supported the Democratic Party in both the general and by-elections, views on the Cho Kuk scandal were divided. A male voter in his 50s argued, "The Cho Kuk issue was greatly exaggerated by conservative forces to tarnish the current administration." On the other hand, a female voter in her 30s said, "We shouldn't have defended Cho Kuk. There were clear mistakes."

Song Young-gil, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is holding a meeting with re-elected lawmakers at the National Assembly on the 11th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

Meanwhile, opinions have emerged within the Democratic Party that a clear party-level stance on the Cho Kuk scandal is necessary.

According to reports, on the 11th, Representative Wi Seong-gon emphasized at a closed-door meeting at the National Assembly, "We need to specifically examine the Cho Kuk and Park Won-soon issues and clarify the party's position. Otherwise, we will lose again in the presidential election."

Representative Wi also defended five first-term Democratic Party lawmakers in their 20s and 30s who publicly criticized the Cho Kuk scandal and received 'text bomb' attacks and criticism from the hardline supporters, saying, "They are called the 'five first-term traitors,' but we need to judge whether they are traitors or righteous heroes who reflected for the party. They were righteous heroes."

Earlier, five first-term lawmakers in their 20s and 30s?Oh Young-hwan, Lee So-young, Jang Kyung-tae, Jang Cheol-min, and Jeon Yong-gi?publicly pointed to the Cho Kuk scandal as one of the causes of the Democratic Party's defeat immediately after the by-election, voicing self-reflection and emphasizing party reform.

Democratic Party leader Song Young-gil also reportedly expressed a strong will for reform at the same meeting, saying, "We will change the situation where ruling party lawmakers are swayed by the Blue House and create a party-centered presidential election."

Meanwhile, former Minister Cho Kuk apologized once again on Facebook on the 6th regarding being cited as a cause of the ruling party's crushing defeat in the election and the decline in President Moon Jae-in's approval ratings.

Former Minister Cho listed his previous apologies made during the 2019 confirmation hearing and press conference when he was nominated as Minister of Justice, then said, "I apologize once again in the same spirit. As a former high-ranking official, I will take unlimited political and moral responsibility. I will accept more punishment."

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