Jeong Cheong-rae "I will put the party first... I will not take on the role of standing committee chairman"

On the 12th, the Democratic Party of Korea decided at a party members' meeting that standing committee chairpersons cannot concurrently hold party positions within the party's highest decision-making body, resulting in Jeong Cheong-rae, a Supreme Council member, being unable to take the position of Chairperson of the Public Administration and Security Committee. Jeong, the Supreme Council member, accepted the party's decision, stating, "I will put the party before personal interests."

On the same day, Jeong stated through his social media (SNS), "I will neither request nor take on the role of standing committee chairperson again. I wanted not the chairperson position itself but the principle of the decision-making process," expressing his stance.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The ruling and opposition parties had agreed a year ago to alternate the chairmanships of the Public Administration and Security Committee and the Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee annually. Having served as chairperson of the Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee for the past year, Jeong, who is a Supreme Council member, attempted to take the chairmanship of the Public Administration and Security Committee this time. However, criticism arose within the party that it was inappropriate for a Supreme Council member to concurrently hold a standing committee chairperson position. When Jeong was prevented from taking the chairmanship, he even expressed his intention to pursue legal action.

However, when the party members' meeting finally decided that major party positions and standing committee chairmanships cannot be held concurrently, he said, "The voters for the National Assembly standing committee chairpersons are the members of the National Assembly. Today, I was not chosen by the voters, the members of the National Assembly," adding, "I respect, acknowledge, and accept the choice of the voters. I will put the party before personal interests."

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