Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, finished speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the morning of the 19th, and left to attend the launch ceremony of the Round Table of the Five Opposition Parties. February 19, 2025. News1
Lee Jae-myung emphasized that the Democratic Party is not originally a progressive party and reiterated that it holds a ‘center-conservative’ stance.
On the morning of the 19th, when asked by the press about his remarks the previous day that the Democratic Party is center-conservative, he replied, “Isn’t the role of progressive parties held by parties like the Justice Party and the Democratic Labor Party?”
He added, “I often say that the Democratic Party originally focuses on growth as a center-conservative party,” and mentioned that “the People Power Party is becoming an extreme right or almost a criminal party, and I hope they find their place.” In response to a question suggesting that targeting the center might be a retreat, he said, “Let’s end the briefing here.”
Previously, on the 18th, during an appearance on YouTube’s ‘New Day,’ he stated, “We are not progressives,” adding that the party holds a position of center-conservatism in practice. He said that the progressive front needs to be newly established, and framing the party as having shifted to the right is just that—a frame. He suggested that in the future, the Democratic Party should take on the role of a center-conservative regime in Korea.
Amidst this, Jin Sung-joon, the head of the Democratic Party’s Policy Committee, commented on Lee’s ‘center-conservative party’ remark during an interview on SBS Radio’s ‘Kim Tae-hyun’s Political Show.’ He said, “Our political landscape is overly skewed towards conservatism,” and if one must define the Democratic Party’s political stance, a center-conservative stance is appropriate, although the party holds progressive aspirations.
He noted, “The People Power Party shows extreme right tendencies, so the Democratic Party is relatively viewed as progressive, but in reality, the Democratic Party’s stance is center-conservative, a rational conservatism.”