On the 16th, Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Moon Jung-bok formally announced a bid in the by-election for supreme council member, saying, "I will firmly establish party-government relations on principle without wavering. I will draw a firm line against politics that stoke conflict between the party and the presidential office." She added that the "one member, one vote system," which was voted down and put on hold at the recent Central Committee, would be pushed again through public debate.
Moon held a press conference at the National Assembly on the morning of the same day and said, "The party must unite as one to more strongly back the government," adding, "I have protected Lee Jae-myung through actions, not words."
In particular, Moon said, "When Lee Jae-myung was most isolated, with the passage of the arrest consent motion for the party leader amid attacks from inside and outside the party, I did not stay silent. I was the first to step up and protected Lee Jae-myung to the end."
She added, "Against the trend of demanding resignation and a shift to an emergency leadership without any justification for a party leader elected by the overwhelming support of party members, I was the first to publicly oppose it and blocked it with action," adding, "If we must speak of being pro-Myung, Moon Jung-bok is at the very front."
Moon is classified as a key "pro-Jung (pro-Jung Chung-rae)" figure, having been appointed deputy secretary-general for organization affairs after Chairperson Jung Chung-rae took office. As the by-election for supreme council member is hardening into a "Myung vs. Jung" rivalry, she appears to be appealing to party members as "pro-Myung."
Asked about the "Myung vs. Jung" framing, she said, "There should be no dividing the Democratic Party into pro-Jung and pro-Myung," adding, "I am categorized as pro-Jung, but my ties with the president are much deeper."
Moon pledged: ▲ fair and predictable primary support for victory in local elections ▲ establishing unwavering principles for party-government relations ▲ expanding a party member–participatory decision-making structure.
In particular, she said, "Although the one person, one vote system is somewhat controversial, no one doubts the direction. If I become a supreme council member, I will say we should discuss the one person, one vote system again." The one person, one vote system would change the party constitution and rules that currently set the ratio of delegate to dues-paying member votes at less than 20:1 when electing the party leader and supreme council members to a 1:1 ratio. Although it is a core campaign pledge of Chairperson Jung, it was recently voted down at the Central Committee.
Earlier, Moon strongly criticized Yoo Dong-cheol, head of the Busan Suyeong District Committee and a "pro-Myung" candidate for supreme council member, saying, "I'll fix your manners," and "How long will the party be dragged around by a 'thunder-naked'?" Regarding this, she explained, "It was something I said as a joke in the hallway, but it became an article and it hurt. That was not my intention at all."
As of now, five people have formally declared their candidacies for the by-election for supreme council member to be held on Jan. 11 next year. From the pro-Myung camp, lawmakers Lee Geon-tae and Kang Deuk-gu and Chairperson Yoo Dong-cheol have declared, while from the pro-Jung camp, lawmaker Lee Sung-yoon and Moon have announced bids. Contrary to the party leadership's explanation that "the Myung vs. Jung framing is an intentional divide-and-rule tactic," observers say this by-election is likely to reveal the balance of power between the pro-Myung and pro-Jung camps.