[Insight & Opinion] If 'Cheoreomhoe' Is Expelled

Published 05 Dec.2023 13:00(KST)

"He colluded with Song Cheol-ho and abused his investigative authority... Despite betraying the public's trust in the fairness of the police organization and its duties, he shows no remorse for his crimes, which makes his guilt very serious."

In the first trial, the court sentenced Democratic Party lawmaker Hwang Un-ha, who has been on trial along with former Ulsan Mayor Song Cheol-ho for allegations of Blue House-directed investigations and interference in the Ulsan mayoral election, to three years in prison, criticizing his unrepentant attitude. However, ignoring the court's admonition, Rep. Hwang protested, calling it an "unacceptable verdict." His confident demeanor regardless of the court's ruling has become a routine sight around the Democratic Party, so it is nothing new.

What about former lawmaker Choi Kang-wook, who sparked controversy with misogynistic remarks such as "Seolchi is a female" and "A female never rises to first place"? In September, Choi lost his seat after receiving a final sentence of eight months in prison with a two-year suspended sentence for issuing a false internship certificate to the son of former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk. At that time, Cho publicly posted on Facebook, "One door has closed, but another will open," offering encouragement. Has that 'other door' opened? Choi made the 'female' remark at Cho's book concert. The Democratic Party was startled and suspended his party membership and issued an apology, but Choi himself did not apologize and instead defended himself, saying, "Am I really such a villain?"

Recently, lawmaker Kim Yong-min claimed, "Looking at the boldness with which the Yoon Seok-yeol administration wields power, if the 22nd general election yields even slightly favorable results, they will declare martial law and strengthen dictatorship." He regarded the Yoon government as the "Jeon Du-gwang forces" from the film Spring in Seoul and proposed the unrealistic scenario of martial law declaration. Min Hyung-bae, who left a dark history of 'fake party withdrawal,' appeared on a YouTube broadcast and said, "We should have broken their ankles with impeachment." At this point, the case of lawmaker Kim Nam-guk, who left the Democratic Party amid a coin controversy and announced he would not run in the general election, seems almost endearing by comparison.

All the politicians mentioned so far belong to 'Cheoreomhoe,' a group of hardline first-term Democratic Party lawmakers. Although Cheoreomhoe once wielded significant influence over the party with a strong fan base, it has ultimately dragged the Democratic Party's political credibility to the bottom. Cheoreomhoe bears significant responsibility for making the Democratic Party appear as an extremist party consumed by hatred toward opponents, which led to the party's consecutive defeats in the last presidential and local elections. Has winning just one by-election for the Gangseo District Office revived them? The language and behavior of Cheoreomhoe politicians have become unprecedentedly coarse and low-quality. Representative Lee Jae-myung also bears considerable responsibility for regarding Cheoreomhoe as his core allies, neglecting them, and indulging their behavior.

Despite widespread public disappointment with the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, the Democratic Party fails to gain support because it is still perceived as an unbalanced extremist party. YS (former President Kim Young-sam) disbanded the all-powerful military faction 'Hanahoe' just ten days after taking office. What will Representative Lee Jae-myung do about Cheoreomhoe, which listens to no one? In the 2016 general election, then-representative Moon Jae-in recruited emergency committee chairman Kim Jong-in and accepted the 'pro-Moon faction nomination massacre,' enabling the Democratic Party to stage a dramatic comeback and become the ruling party despite bleak prospects. For the Democratic Party to revive, it must expel Cheoreomhoe, the symbol of extremist politics, and exclude them from nominations.