Jo Eung-cheon, Movement to Amend Article 80 of the Democratic Party Constitution... "It's Embarrassing, Continuing the Hypocrisy Lineage"

"Article 80 of the Party Charter Was Also Created by Kim Sang-gon and Cho Kuk During the Democratic Party's Opposition Period"
"Fixing a Gat Under a Plum Tree Goes Against Public Sentiment"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] Cho Eung-cheon, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, said on the 11th that the internal movement to amend Article 80 of the Democratic Party's constitution is "embarrassing."

On the same day, Cho appeared on MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' and spoke about the internal party movement to amend Article 80, which stipulates the suspension of party officials' duties when prosecuted by the prosecution for corruption.

He said, "Our party had a rule during the Seoul and Busan by-elections last April that if the party was at fault, no candidate would be nominated. That rule was amended at that time, and we nominated candidates but suffered a crushing defeat," adding, "Until then, our party had been winning consecutively, but after that, we lost the presidential and local elections and have been pushed back as the opposition party until now." He continued, "To amend the party constitution now, especially under the plum tree, is to go against public sentiment and is another instance of double standards."

He also opposed the argument that "since we have become the opposition party, the amendment is necessary."

He explained that Article 80 was originally introduced when the Democratic Party was also in opposition. Cho said, "Article 80 was created in 2015 when the party was the New Politics Alliance for Democracy, which was the opposition at the time," adding, "During Moon Jae-in's leadership, former Minister of Education Kim Sang-gon was the Innovation Committee Chairman, and former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk was an innovation committee member. They introduced this as a flagship anti-corruption reform measure." He said, "It was confidently introduced when we were the opposition," and added, "To say now that since we are the opposition again, it becomes a route for prosecution's intrusion and should be abolished is absurd." He further stated, "Did Kim Sang-gon and Cho Kuk intend to hand over the Democratic Party to the prosecution by amending the party constitution? No, they did not."

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