Veteran Members of the 'Donggyo-dong Faction' Kwon No-gap and Chung Dae-chul Rejoin Party, "We Will Do Our Best to Regain Power"

by Jeon Jinyoung

Published 13 Jan.2022 19:00(KST)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeon Jinyoung] Senior figures of the ‘Donggyodong faction,’ including former senior advisors Kwon Nogap and Jeong Daecheol, have rejoined the Democratic Party of Korea after six years. The Donggyodong faction consists of individuals who closely assisted the late former President Kim Dae-jung. Ahead of the 2016 20th general election, they left the Democratic Party to support the founding of the People’s Party led by Chairman Ahn Cheol-soo.

On the afternoon of the 13th, the Democratic Party held a welcome-back ceremony at the central party office in Yeouido, receiving former senior advisors Kwon and Jeong, as well as former lawmakers Joo Seung-yong, Shin Soon-beom, Lee Hoon-pyung, Shin Jung-sik, and Lee Yoon-seok.

At the welcome ceremony, former senior advisor Kwon said, “In my over 60 years of political life, when I first tried to leave the Democratic Party on my own in 2016, it was truly heartbreaking and I could not suppress my sorrowful feelings. I will do my best to unite with my Democratic comrades, revive the spirit of the Democratic Party, inherit the legacy of former Presidents Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun, unify the people, and serve the people as if they were the sky.” He emphasized, “Above all, I urge everyone to do their utmost so that presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung can recreate the administration.”

Former senior advisor Jeong also said, “I have mixed feelings,” adding, “The political mission of this era is twofold. One is to deeply root democracy, and the other is to overcome polarization and create a fair society.” He continued, “The only ones who can achieve this are the Democratic Party and candidate Lee,” raising his voice, “Having returned, I will contribute all my strength, though modest, to the re-creation of the administration and the establishment of the Lee Jae-myung government.”

Former lawmaker Joo expressed his aspirations, saying, “It is an even greater honor to rejoin with many political seniors. I came to contribute even a little to the presidential election, which determines the fate of the nation. I will work hard.”

Party leader Song Young-gil responded, “It is time to unite our strength so that the democratic government, which Presidents Kim Dae-jung, Roh Moo-hyun, and Moon Jae-in sowed and nurtured, grows firmly,” adding, “In the midst of US-China hegemony, I ask everyone to support candidate Lee so that the door to peace on the Korean Peninsula, which we are holding with all our might, does not close again.”

This rejoining is a follow-up measure to the ‘general amnesty’ proposed by candidate Lee. The Democratic Party decided last year to allow blanket rejoining for those who left the party, except for those disciplined for serious reasons.