Jung Chung-rae, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, on the 20th sharply criticized People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok's visit to former President Yoon Suk-yeol, saying, "If the People Power Party continues unconstitutional acts without escaping the specter of insurrection, dissolving the unconstitutional party is only a matter of time."
At the supreme council meeting at the National Assembly that day, Leader Jung said, "On the 17th, People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok met Yoon Suk-yeol, the prime suspect and ringleader of insurrection, who is in custody, and then posted on his social media," adding, "When I heard the word 'arm,' I got a chill, wondering if they were trying to do a second something."
Jung criticized, saying, "Yoon Suk-yeol is the main culprit of insurrection who aimed guns at the people and destroyed democracy and constitutional order," and, "He is a criminal who destroyed the Constitution and attacked democracy. What a grotesque act. It is beyond shocking—horrific and devastating."
He went on, "Leader Jang even incited a fight and struggle. Far from reflecting on having sided with insurrection in the past, is he instead saying we should join hands with the insurrectionist forces and, together with the well-armed prime suspect and ringleader of insurrection, plot another martial law?" adding, "This is a second incitement to insurrection and an attempt to destroy constitutional rule. We absolutely cannot overlook it."
Jung's remarks targeted Jang's post on social media after visiting former President Yoon at the Seoul Detention Center on the 17th, in which he wrote, "Even in a difficult situation, he was firmly armed with the words of the Bible and prayer. Let us also unite as one and fight." The Democratic Party is escalating its criticism, calling the visit and remarks "acts denying constitutional order."
Meanwhile, regarding the exclusion of a judicial petition system, known as a "four-tier appeals system," from the party's judicial reform plan to be announced that afternoon, Leader Jung emphasized that a "judicial petition" is also a key judicial reform agenda item.
He said, "While discussing the issue of judicial petitions in the special committee on judicial reform during the Chuseok holiday period and so on, we could not finish it procedurally, so the party leadership plans to introduce legislation on judicial petitions," adding, "It was left out of the judicial special committee's plan, but that does not mean it was left out of the judicial reform plan. I want to make it clear once again that judicial petitions are also part of the Democratic Party's judicial reform plan."
Chief spokesperson Park Soo-hyun also told reporters after the supreme council meeting, "In addition to the reform plan prepared by the special committee on judicial reform, the leadership's decision will also put the judicial petition item on the table for public discussion."