Key Summary
- Democratic Party lawmaker Song Young-gil said he found signs of organized, group membership enrollment by members of Shincheonji.
- He urged a full internal investigation and stronger disciplinary action if the allegations are confirmed.
- Song also called for possible changes to party rules and political party law so that membership can be revoked if ties to Shincheonji, JMS, or similar groups are verified.
- A party-led review reportedly identified about 14,000 ordinary members and 8,800 voting-rights members as having joined the party.
Main Story
South Korean lawmaker Song Young-gil of the Democratic Party said he had reviewed an internal inquiry into alleged Shincheonji involvement in party membership and concluded that there were signs of organized group enrollment.
Speaking at the party’s secretary-general office in the National Assembly after examining the findings, Song told reporters that a substantial number of Shincheonji followers appeared to have joined the party. He said the party should carry out a complete investigation into who directed and led the alleged organized entry and take serious action if the facts are confirmed.
Song also said that if the conditions for emergency discipline are met, the party should activate emergency disciplinary authority. He described what he called organized illegal political intervention under the cover of religion as something the party must confront firmly.
In addition, he argued that the Democratic Party’s rules and South Korea’s political party law should be revised so that party membership can be revoked if affiliation with Shincheonji, JMS, or other anti-social and anti-democratic religious groups is confirmed.
Responding to criticism from party members aligned with Choo Mi-ae that the number involved was not significant, Song said more than 10,000 people had entered the party. He noted that while this may not seem large compared with the party’s total of 1.5 million rights members, Shincheonji is a religious group with strong mobilization power.
According to the party’s own investigation, the scale of Shincheonji-related enrollment was reported as roughly 14,000 ordinary members and 8,800 rights members.
Background
The supplied text does not provide additional background beyond the reported internal party review and the comments made by Song Young-gil.
Items Requiring Further Verification
- Song Young-gil’s claim that signs of organized Shincheonji group enrollment were confirmed.
- The reported scale of the alleged enrollment, including about 14,000 ordinary members and 8,800 rights members.
- The assertion that more than 10,000 people entered the party through coordinated efforts.
- The claim that Shincheonji, JMS, or similar groups qualify as anti-social and anti-democratic religious organizations in this context.
- Any proposed disciplinary or legal changes, which are presented as Song’s advocacy rather than enacted measures.