[단독]Democratic Party Adds ‘Democratic Crime’ to Disqualification Exceptions for Nomination… Controversy over Saving Real Names

2024-07-21 08:32:08

Included in the revision of the party constitution and party rules last month
Inside and outside the party, “Former special adviser Jeong Ui-chan cuts off the general election
“Please open the way for me to run in the by-elections and local elections”

The Democratic Party of Korea’s acting leader and floor leader Park Chan-dae (left) and Supreme Council member Koh Min-jung are attending the party’s Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul on the 19th. Floor leader Park and Supreme Council member Koh wore black to commemorate the first anniversary of the death of Marine Corps Private Chae. Reporter Jang Seung-yoon [email protected]

It was confirmed on the 19th that the Democratic Party of Korea has decided to revise its party constitution and rules to not place restrictions on running for public office if the crime is related to the democratization or labor movement, even if the person has been sentenced to prison for a criminal offense.

The Democratic Party explained, “It is a formalization of what has been done conventionally.” However, some inside and outside the party say, “Isn’t this a measure to save Jeong Ui-chan, a 5th-grade secretary to the Speaker of the National Assembly who is a key figure in the pro-Lee Jae-myung faction outside the National Assembly and a former special adviser to the Democratic Party leader?” Secretary Jeong was cut off from the Democratic Party’s preliminary candidates in the last general election due to the controversy surrounding his conviction in the past for his involvement in the torture and death of a civilian, Lee Jong-kwon.

Democratic Party Rule No. 10 contains regulations related to the recommendation of candidates for public office and the operation of the evaluation committee for elected public officials. According to Article 17, Paragraph 3 of Rule No. 10, “A person who has been sentenced to imprisonment or suspended sentence or more severe punishment among criminals who are criticized by the public” is disqualified for nomination. On the 12th of last month, the Democratic Party revised the party rule and added the phrase “However, criminal records related to the democratization movement and labor movement, etc. are an exception” to this article.

Inside and outside the party, there is speculation that “the Democratic Party revised the party rules to provide Secretary Jeong with an opportunity to run in by-elections, local elections, and general elections.” Secretary Jeong is a close figure who worked as a secretary to Lee Jae-myung when he was the party’s representative candidate and governor of Gyeonggi Province. He is also a key member of the Democratic Party’s National Innovation Conference, which has emerged as the largest faction within the Democratic Party. A key member of the Democratic Party’s floor leadership said, “It is correct to assume that Secretary Jeong will be able to run in the future.”

Secretary Jeong, a former chairman of the Gwangju-Jeonnam Student Council (Namchongryun), ran as a preliminary candidate for Haenam-Wando-Jindo in South Jeolla Province in December of last year ahead of the April 10 general election. However, he was cut off after it was revealed that he had been sentenced to 5 years in prison for murder after being implicated in an incident in 1997 in which a civilian was tortured to death on suspicion of being a police spy.

The Democratic Party’s Public Official Election Candidate Verification Committee (Verification Committee) classified Secretary Jeong as “qualified” in December of last year, but then changed its decision to “ineligible” after learning of this fact. Candidate Lee, who was the party leader at the time, supported the decision to change his mind, saying, “I think it may have been a mistake made by the Verification Committee in reading the regulations incorrectly.”

A Democratic Party official explained, “In the past, the Public Official Election Candidate Recommendation Management Committee has independently made exceptions for candidates with criminal records who participated in the democratization and labor movements and reviewed them. The content itself is not new.”

Secretary Jeong told the Dong-A Ilbo on the same day, “I am not familiar with the details of the party rule revision,” and “I am not considering running for office.”

Reporter Lee Ji-woon [email protected]
Reporter Kang Sung-hui [email protected]

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2024-07-21 08:32:08