Supreme Council member Lee Un-ju publicly criticized Democratic Party of Korea leader Jung Chung-rae's push to revise the party constitution and bylaws, including the introduction of a "one person, one vote system," and asked that it be pursued prudently. The "one person, one vote system" would apply the same 1-to-1 weighting between delegates and dues-paying party members in elections for party leader and Supreme Council members, instead of the current "less than 20 to 1," and is effectively regarded as an "abolition of the delegate system."
At an open remark during the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 24th, Lee said, "Controversy is growing over the introduction of a one person, one vote system," adding, "The core of the controversy is securing procedural legitimacy and democracy, strategic issues regarding vulnerable regions, and concerns about vulnerable regions that are underrepresented."
She added, "There is the question of whether it is right for the Democratic Party to scrap an important system that has been run for several decades in just a few days without sufficient time and process, in a push-through manner," and, "Moreover, why push through such a highly contested agenda item during the president's trip, and is there any need to divide party members?"
Referring to the 2023 revision of the party constitution and bylaws that reduced the delegate-to-dues-paying member vote weighting from "60 to 1" to "20 to 1," Lee stressed, "Unlike now, the discussion process at the time went through a deliberation process with ample time, the procedural issues secured legitimacy, and while persuading many people by bringing their opinions together, we effectively reached a unanimous agreement."
She continued, "Including myself, a majority even supported effectively abolishing the delegate system, but at the time, party leader Lee Jae-myung recognized concerns about vulnerable regions and various issues with going so far as to effectively abolish the delegate system, and said, 'Let's do it to that extent.' It was not that long ago."
Lee said, "Even now, two years later, many still question the effective abolition of the delegate system. There is no reason to handle this in haste when such people exist," adding, "Moreover, considering participation by members who joined for only one month and that only 16.8% of dues-paying members took part in the poll, the approach of saying it's decided so follow unconditionally does not align with democratic procedure."
She said, "We should think carefully about a full abolition of the delegate system," and requested, "Once again, let's take sufficient time and, through discussions in various ways, go through a deliberative process that earns consent from party members overall and that even those who oppose can accept." After her remarks, Lee left the meeting in the middle of the session. Jung listened silently throughout Lee's remarks.
Earlier, the Democratic Party released the results of a party member survey on plans including applying a "one person, one vote system" to the election of the party leader and Supreme Council members. Although the approval rate exceeded 80%, turnout was 16.81%. In response, at the preceding closed-door Supreme Council meeting, Supreme Council members Lee Un-ju, Han Jun-ho and Hwang Myeong-seon expressed that "time for deliberation is needed," but the related agenda item was approved.
The previous day, on the 23rd, Jung also wrote on Facebook, "We have discussed the one person, one vote system enough. It is the path of a party of party member sovereignty that can no longer be delayed." He reiterated his intent to push ahead with the "one person, one vote system" despite opposition inside and outside the party. The Democratic Party plans to convene the party affairs committee that day and continue the work of revising the party constitution and bylaws.