Members of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), including senior members Kang Deuk-gu and Hwang Myung-sun, have called for a halt to premature merger discussions with the Cho Kuk Innovation Party proposed by party leader Jeong Cheong-rae, arguing it exacerbates internal conflict. Both Kang and Hwang, who align with pro-Lee Jae-myung factions, have repeatedly criticized the proposed “one person, one vote” system and the merger issue.
On February 2nd, Senior Member Kang Deuk-gu expressed in a Facebook post that “President Lee Jae-myung is enjoying approval ratings exceeding 60%. This provides a favorable framework for the local elections,” questioning, “Why rush the merger, causing internal conflict, with less than 100 days left?”
Further emphasizing the necessity for strategic discussions around Democratic Party priorities until the local elections, Kang stated, “The primary principle is to adequately support the president’s administration. The second principle is to properly address public welfare.” He suggested that the focus should be on backing the Lee administration and prioritizing livelihood legislation over a party merger.
Similarly, Senior Member Hwang Myung-sun also urged via Facebook to “cease the self-damaging and exhausting merger discussions and concentrate on supporting national governance.” Reflecting on the period since Jeong’s election last August, Hwang highlighted that “our Democratic Party spent too much time and energy on internal conflicts and disputes rather than supporting governance,” noting that the party’s energy often dissipated amid internal discord, while the concept of a “one voice, one team” often remained just a slogan.
Hwang added, “While party member sovereignty and merger issues are important, our most urgent responsibility is to support the governance of the Lee Jae-myung administration, which has been in place for less than a year.” He advocated for stopping merger discussions, setting aside internal conflicts, and directing party efforts towards supporting governance and enacting public welfare and reform legislation.