The Democratic Party of Korea's by-election for top members kicked off on the 23rd with the first joint campaign speech. Candidates split between the pro-Jung Chung-rae camp and the pro-Lee Jae-myung camp clashed from the outset, trading sharp jabs on stage.
The party held its first joint speech in Yeouido, Seoul, at headquarters that day to elect top members. The by-election was called to fill the vacancies left by former top members Jun Hyun-hee, Han Joon-ho and Kim Byung-joo, who resigned to run in the local elections. Including today, there will be three joint speeches, with voting on Jan. 11.
The race for top members drew attention as a contest between the "pro-Jung" and "pro-Lee" camps. Of the five candidates, lawmakers Moon Jung-bok and Lee Sung-yoon are seen as pro-Jung, while lawmakers Kang Deuk-gu and Lee Geon-tae and Busan Suyeong-gu regional chair Yoo Dong-cheol are classified as pro-Lee. Which side wins two seats could shape the landscape for next year's leadership election.
Candidate Lee Sung-yoon, running under the pro-Jung banner, stressed unity around the leadership. Lee said, "Our muzzles must be aimed at the insurgent forces and those opposing reform," adding, "We must rally tightly around Leader Jung and the leadership to win next year's local elections."
Lee said, "Only by winning the local elections can we complete reform and fully end the insurgency," adding, "Shaking the leadership is the same as siding with insurgent forces who want our party divided."
Candidate Moon Jung-bok also said, "We won when we united as one, not when we were at odds and in conflict," adding, "I will forge a stronger one-team system among the party, government and presidential office. If I must speak of being pro-Lee, Moon Jung-bok stands at the very front."
Moon emphasized, "We must fight this election under Leader Jung's airtight, strong leadership." Lee Sung-yoon and Moon said they would again push Leader Jung Chung-rae's core pledge, the "one person, one vote system for delegates and dues-paying members."
By contrast, candidates seen as pro-Lee put President Lee Jae-myung front and center. Candidate Kang Deuk-gu said, "The Lee Jae-myung administration has launched, but the tasks to restore are a mountain, and the president cannot shoulder them alone," adding, "What the Democratic Party needs is the so-called party–Blue House one-team, a thoroughly unified party-government."
Kang said, "If the party does not back policy, even the right direction loses force," adding, "We need a top member who understands the government's policy direction and can translate it into the party's language."
Candidate Lee Geon-tae also said, "The Democratic Party fell short in maximizing and informing the public of the Lee Jae-myung administration's achievements," adding, "To end the insurgency, we urgently need a top member like Lee Geon-tae who can provide close support and communication to the Lee Jae-myung administration."
Lee added, "As an attorney in the Daejang-dong development scandal, a Legislation and Judiciary Committee member, and the party's legal spokesperson, I was the president's front-line shield," stressing, "As the only candidate who can build a party–Blue House one-team, I will be the hotline between the party and the presidential office. I will make public sentiment, communication, and party sentiment flow through Lee Geon-tae."
Candidate Yoo Dong-cheol said, "Some talk about Lee Jae-myung on the surface while practicing their own politics behind the scenes," adding, "Someone claims to be at the very front of the pro-Lee line, but for the pro-Lee camp there is no front row." Yoo also said, "Write Yoo Dong-cheol and read it as Lee Jae-myung."