Democratic Party's General Assembly Flooded with Complaints over 'Unfair Candidate Selection'... Lee Jae-myung Absent

Controversy Over Private Recommendation Sparks Protests of 'Lee Jae-myung's Factionalization'
"Unidentified Poll... Difficult to Accept Low Evaluation"
Lee Jae-myung Absent, Jeong Cheong-rae Walks Out... Hong Ik-pyo "Deeply Responsible"

At the Democratic Party of Korea's caucus meeting, protests against 'unfair candidate nominations' continued. In particular, there were significant concerns raised about opinion polls conducted without clear authority, excluding non-factional incumbents. Lee Jae-myung, the party leader at the center of the private recommendation controversy, did not attend at all.

The Democratic Party convened the caucus immediately after the plenary session ended on the morning of the 21st and held discussions on current issues for over two hours. At least 15 members spoke freely during the meeting, with most strongly criticizing the unfairness that emerged during the candidate nomination process. There were concerns that if the party splits ahead of the general election, it would be impossible to judge the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, and some lawmakers directly pointed out the 'Lee Jae-myung factionalization.'

Protests over Unidentified Opinion Polls... "Mostly Conducted by the Party"

Democratic Party of Korea leader Lee Jae-myung and floor leader Hong Ik-pyo are talking at the plenary session held at the National Assembly on the 21st.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

After the caucus, lawmaker Song Gap-seok told reporters that when asked about opinions on the opinion polls, "There were many objections to the polls being conducted indiscriminately in too many places." He explained, "There was an explanation from Secretary-General Cho Jung-sik, who said 'mostly the party conducted them.' Although he did not specifically admit each one as correct, he broadly acknowledged that the party mostly conducted them."

Earlier, around the weekend before the notification of the 'cut-off list,' candidate suitability opinion polls were conducted in various regions excluding mid-level incumbents, sparking rumors. Coupled with observations that Lee Jae-myung was discussing nominations with unofficial aides, there was backlash suggesting that the polls were intended to exclude certain individuals. The fact that the excluded incumbents were mainly non-factional members further fueled the controversy.

Lawmaker Hong Young-pyo, who was excluded from the 'controversial opinion polls,' said, "The nominations should not become a factionalization under Lee Jae-myung, but should be nominations that lead to victory in the general election by judging the Yoon Suk-yeol administration." He added, "Especially regarding the unidentified opinion polls and the 'bottom 20%' evaluations that the public cannot accept, we must accurately investigate the truth and hold those responsible accountable."

When asked about the level of lawmakers' opposition, Hong said, "It was not just opposition to the nominations but a lot of concern about the worsening general election situation. Many said the leadership must accurately assess the situation and that chaotic nominations must not continue."

Additionally, lawmaker Yoon Young-chan, who protested after being notified of the 'bottom 10%' ranking the previous day, said, "Colleagues like Song Gap-seok, Park Yong-jin, and Kim Young-joo, who worked together, were questioned whether it was right for them to be ranked low by anyone's standards." He described the caucus as "very somber and serious."

"Where is the Leader?"... Increasing Centrifugal Force in the Democratic Party

Hong Ik-pyo, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is talking with fellow lawmakers at a party meeting held at the National Assembly on the 21st. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Although the centrifugal force is growing due to the Lee Jae-myung nomination controversy, Lee himself did not appear at the caucus that day. The leadership, including Chief Supreme Councilor Jeong Cheong-rae, considered a close aide, also left early citing personal schedules, which reportedly intensified lawmakers' dissatisfaction.

A lawmaker who attended the caucus told Asia Economy in a phone interview, "The leadership should take responsibility for this situation and manage it, but leaving without any expression of regret is not the behavior expected from the leadership." He criticized, "Lee Jae-myung should explain the controversy in front of the lawmakers instead of writing on Facebook that it is 'painful reform.'" Lawmaker Yoon Young-chan also pointedly said, "He had a lot to say, but I don't know why he didn't come."

However, it was reported that Floor Leader Hong Ik-pyo stepped in to comfort the lawmakers, saying, "The leadership feels responsible." Floor spokesperson Choi Hye-young told reporters, "Floor Leader Hong said in his closing remarks that if a re-examination is requested to the Candidate Management Committee, he would ask Committee Chair Im Hyuk-baek to directly explain the evaluation process." She added, "They will request explanations to ensure credibility and transparency."

Furthermore, Floor Leader Hong said regarding the 'opinion poll controversy,' "Since the party conducted them, we will disclose related information to clarify the facts and take measures to prevent recurrence." He added, "The Supreme Council will raise the issue and exclude problematic opinion polls."

Meanwhile, as party division showed signs of escalating, senior figures stepped in with harsh criticism. Former Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum held a private meeting with former National Assembly Speakers Lim Chae-jung, Kim Won-ki, and Moon Hee-sang at noon that day and expressed strong regret over Lee Jae-myung's 'unfair nominations.' A source close to former Prime Minister Kim said, "We will demand fair nominations from Lee," adding, "Former Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun, who is in the U.S., also expressed his intention to share this view."

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