Minju 'Daehaksaengwi' Faction Conflict Sparks?… Min Hyung-bae "Drop the Divisive Frame"

Some Young Party Members Say "Yang So-young Must Take Responsibility and Resign"
Factional Conflict Concerns Intensify Intra-Party Debate

Conflicts have arisen among young members within the Democratic Party of Korea following allegations of 'coin investment' involving independent lawmaker Kim Nam-guk. Amid controversy over the hardline supporters' criticism of young politicians within the party who criticized Kim, some interpret this as factional strife within the Democratic Party spreading even to the youth.

On the 31st, 512 young and university student party members of the Democratic Party held a press conference at the National Assembly Communication Hall, calling for the resignation of Yang So-young, the chairperson of the National University Student Committee. This was in response to Yang's press conference on the 12th of last month, held under the name of the university student committees of 17 city and provincial party branches, criticizing lawmaker Kim's coin controversy and urging party reform.

They claimed that Yang's press conference did not go through a process of gathering opinions. The investigation into lawmaker Kim has not yet concluded, and opinions among young party members are divided, yet Yang held a press conference criticizing him as if representing the views of university student party members.

In their statement, they said, "The National University Student Committee was indifferent to the demands of party members and the public to 'fully engage in a conscientious struggle against the arrogance and incompetence of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration,'" adding, "Rather, by holding a press conference on an issue still under investigation, they disappointed and bred distrust among party members and the public through a political style of 'selling out comrades to promote oneself.'"

Democratic Party lawmaker Min Hyung-bae and youth and university student party members held a joint press conference titled "Joint Statement by 512 University Student and Youth Party Members Demanding Reform of the Democratic Party's National University Student Committee" on the morning of the 31st at the National Assembly Communication Hall. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Some interpret this press conference as evidence that factional conflicts within the party have spread to young party members. Regarding the involvement of Democratic Party lawmaker Min Hyung-bae in organizing the press conference, it is said that Min, who belongs to the pro-Lee Jae-myung faction (Chinmyeong), lent support to voices criticizing young politicians from the anti-Lee Jae-myung faction (Bimyeong).

The young politicians who pointed out lawmaker Kim's morality and called for party reform have been suffering from excessive attacks by hardline supporters.

Yang, in an interview on SBS Radio's 'Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show' on the 26th of last month, said, "There were absurd stories that we held the press conference under the direction of a specific political lineage or that we were engaging in internal attacks," adding, "People I don't know invited us to KakaoTalk chat rooms where they sent abusive language, demanded explanations, and pressured us strongly. There were also derogatory or sarcastic attacks and even sexually harassing remarks that made me wonder if legal action was necessary."

When anti-Lee Jae-myung faction lawmakers proposed adopting a resolution at a party meeting on the 25th to urge hardline supporters to stop attacking Yang and other young politicians, it was reportedly blocked by pro-Lee Jae-myung faction lawmakers.

However, lawmaker Min expressed concern about interpreting this press conference as factional conflict. Min said, "Please stop framing this as established politicians dividing young politicians. That perspective is the problem."

On the 31st, Min stated on Facebook, "Why put a 'division' frame on this? It’s as if I am being portrayed as a figure leading factional conflicts on behalf of the pro-Lee Jae-myung faction, but I am neither in such a position nor do I have such thoughts."

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