[‘\n Conflicts between the comment team and public opinion team during the leadership competition of the People Power Party are expected to become a potential variable in future politics.’,
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From right, candidates for the leadership of the People Power Party, Na Kyung-won, Won Hee-ryong, Han Dong-hoon, and Yoon Sang-hyun, are attending a joint election rally for Daejeon, Sejong, Chungbuk, and Chungnam held at Yu Gwansun Gymnasium in Seo-gu, Cheonan on the 15th. News1
, ‘ On the 15th, Won Hee-ryong, a candidate for the leadership of the People Power Party, stated at a joint election rally in Chungcheong region, “There were revelations and reports that there were public opinion teams created to generate favorable opinions for candidate Han Dong-hoon during his tenure as Minister of Justice and even included comment teams,” asserting that “if such actually exists, it constitutes a serious criminal act.” He added, “Even if one candidate becomes the leader, normal execution of leadership duties would be impossible due to this significant legal risk.”‘,
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, ‘This claim by Candidate Won was based on revelations made by former senior member of the People Power Party, Jang Ye-chan. Jang recently claimed in multiple media interviews that a candidate operated an editorial opinion shaping team during their term as Minister of Justice. In a radio interview on the 12th, he even said, “I was active in the public opinion team of one candidate. If it’s baseless, sue me.” He also raised suspicions of involvement of past and present government officials in public opinion teams.’,
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, ‘In response, one candidate stated in a meeting with reporters on the 15th, “I have absolutely no knowledge of (the public opinion team). I don’t understand what it means, and it has nothing to do with me,” and questioned, “Is it wrong for voluntary supporters to leave comments?” He further stated, “There is absolutely no hiring or operation of a team by paying money.”‘,
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, ‘In the ruling party, there are many views that take the emergence of this controversy seriously regardless of its veracity. This is because it involves internal revelations by Jang, a former senior member with close ties to President Yoon Suk-yeol.’,
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, ‘Additionally, the so-called “comment team” that appeared in First Lady Kim Geon-hee’s message of “unread (read and ignore)” is also aggravating the controversy. In a Telegram message to one candidate on January 23rd, Kim stated, “I heard over the past few days that I utilized a comment team to slander the party leader and those around him,” and emphasized, “I can confidently say that such a thing never happened, and will never happen.”‘,
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Park Chan-dae, acting president of the Democratic Party of Korea and floor leader, presiding over a meeting of the Supreme Council held at the National Assembly on the 15th. Kang Jung-hyun reporter
, ‘ The opposition parties have come forward strongly. Lee Hae-sik, the senior spokesperson for the Democratic Party of Korea, said at a parliamentary briefing on the 15th, “Operating illegal public opinion teams and comment teams is an anti-democratic and unconstitutional crime that shakes the roots of democracy and the electoral system,” and stated, “In the past, the National Intelligence Service and the Defense Security Command’s comment manipulation, and the illegal comment manipulation by ‘Druking’ and associated individuals received severe punishments.” He further added, “Even if it requires including it in a special investigation law, we will definitely expose anti-democratic crimes that destroy democracy, manipulate public opinion, and deceive the people.”‘,
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, ‘Hwang Woon-ha, the floor leader of the Justice Reform Party who proposed the “Han Dong-hoon Special Prosecutor Law,” stated at a party meeting on the same day, “The suspicion of one candidate’s comment team operation is without a doubt subject to special investigation,” and said, “As you sow, so shall you reap. The drama of receiving a special investigation through comment investigation has begun.”‘,
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, ‘In the ruling party, there are also voices expressing concerns about the aftermath. This is because suspicions that arose from the conflicts between Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye, candidates in the 2007 presidential election, later led to numerous investigations. Cho Eung-chun, a former Democratic Party member who was affiliated with the Park Geun-hye administration, pointed out in a radio interview on this day, “In a power struggle, they throw what they know about each other” and added, “Once the dust settles and those things that were thrown to win turn into an investigation, what was thrown to win can become a trigger for mutual destruction.”‘,
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, ‘On the same day, Seo Byeong-soo, the election management committee chairman of the People Power Party, urged, “The path to the future is not a path of retaliation but a path of reconciliation.”‘,
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