"Hurry Back and Take Responsibility"... Calls for Song Young-gil's Return Across the Democratic Party (Comprehensive)

The Better Future: "Strict Measures Needed if Song's Early Return Is Delayed"
Lawmakers' Group and Individual Members Issue Statements Urging Return

The Democratic Party of Korea once again urged former leader Song Young-gil to return to the country on the 19th in relation to the envelope money controversy at the party convention. Without any statement regarding his return, Song only announced a schedule for a press briefing with special correspondents, prompting the party to persuade him to return by emphasizing 'putting the party before personal matters.'

Ko Min-jung, a Supreme Council member of the Democratic Party, said at the party's Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly that day, "The recent envelope money incident has rendered all our struggles powerless and even caused us to lose the legitimacy of defending democracy," adding, "Former leader Song is remembered as a politician who did not hesitate to fight fiercely for democracy. If he is confident, there is no reason to avoid or distrust." She urged him to come back to the country and explain directly if he wants to appeal his innocence.

Ko also said, "If he claims that he neither gave nor received money, then why are such words included in the recorded conversations?" and "I cannot understand what happened in the Song Young-gil camp that led to such statements being recorded, which we want to believe are false."

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 19th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

She added, "If he has been falsely accused, he should actively clarify the matter, and if there is even a small fault, he should kneel and apologize before the people."

Song Gap-seok, another Supreme Council member of the Democratic Party, also said, "We earnestly and solemnly request former leader Song to return quickly," and "We hope he will take responsibility and come forward to reveal the truth without leaving any doubt." After listing Song Young-gil's remarks such as "It was a personal deviation," "It has nothing to do with me," and "I have nothing to say separately upon returning," Song Gap-seok criticized, "Watching former leader Song's irresponsible attitude, party members and the public cannot hide their embarrassment and disappointment." He urged, "As a former leader of our party and the senior advisor, the place where former leader Song should be now is not Paris, France, but in front of the people of the Republic of Korea."

The Better Future, the largest parliamentary group within the Democratic Party, issued a statement demanding, "We formally request him to return early and clarify the suspicions clearly." The Better Future criticized, "Despite the party leader directly apologizing to the public and requesting former leader Song to return early and take responsibility, his attitude of delaying his return and holding a press conference abroad is very inappropriate conduct and behavior as a former party leader and a responsible leader." They added, "Moreover, considering the precedent when he recommended withdrawal and expulsion of lawmakers suspected of real estate speculation during his tenure as party leader, this is also very inappropriate."

They urged the party leadership, saying, "If former leader Song does not return early and does not show responsibility for this incident, the Democratic Party urges the strongest and most severe measures to be taken." This was a call to draw a line through disciplinary actions if former leader Song does not express his intention to return.

The Democratic Party's group of first-term lawmakers, The Mincho, also issued a statement that day requesting former leader Song's early return.

A first-term Democratic Party lawmaker said, "With a heavy heart, we bow our heads and apologize to the people," and "We agreed that if any old practices still remain in our party, they must all be exposed and eradicated, and efforts must be made to be reborn as a completely new party."

Regarding this, they said, "Former leader Song should return promptly and reveal the truth of the incident," and "As a candidate for party leader, he must take responsibility for and confirm what happened at that time and inform our party and the people."

They also urged the leadership, saying, "Instead of just waiting for investigations, please actively verify the facts and take strict measures," and "Even though the party itself has limitations in fact-finding without investigative authority, we must do our best to seek the truth ourselves."

Democratic Party lawmakers also called for former leader Song's early return and party-level fact-finding through social networking services (SNS) and other channels. Lee Byung-hoon, a Democratic Party lawmaker, said, "It is even embarrassing to see him consistently ignoring the problem occurring around him and delaying his return," and "I hope he will reveal the truth before the people and party members and show a responsible attitude to resolve the situation." Yoon Young-chan, another Democratic Party lawmaker, said, "I hope the party will take the clearest and most definite preemptive measures possible," adding, "It is time to raise the banner of reform and rectification to remodel the entire party, not just fix the barn."

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