Jeong

Jan. 22 (Asia Today) — South Korea’s Democratic Party split into competing camps Thursday after party leader Jeong Cheong-rae abruptly proposed a merger with the Rebuilding Korea Party, drawing praise from some lawmakers and backlash from others who said the move bypassed internal procedure.

Jeong announced the proposal at an emergency news conference at the National Assembly, saying the merger was needed to support President Lee Jae-myung’s administration and win the June 3 local elections.

Chief spokesperson Park Soo-hyun said the party had held prior discussions with the Rebuilding Korea Party and reached an understanding Wednesday afternoon on making the proposal public.

Critics inside the Democratic Party said there was no internal deliberation despite the scale of the decision.

Rep. Jang Cheol-min wrote on Facebook that even members of the party’s supreme council learned of the plan only about 20 minutes before the news conference, saying decisions that determine the party’s future should not be made through surprise announcements.

Rep. Kim Yong-min said the leader should not decide the issue alone. Supreme Council member Han Jun-ho and Rep. Mo Kyung-jong also stressed procedural legitimacy, saying the party should first confirm the will of its members.

Supporters framed the move as a step toward consolidating the progressive bloc. Rep. Park Ji-won said the party must take risks to secure victory, while Rep. Choi Min-hee said she welcomed the proposal as a way to build a stronger progressive force.

Cho Kuk, who leads the Rebuilding Korea Party, said Jeong’s proposal carried significant weight and that his party would gather views through its party affairs committee.

Presidential office spokesperson Kang Yu-jeong said the office was monitoring developments as an issue for the National Assembly, adding there had been no prior discussion.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.