The Democratic Party's party affairs committee on the 19th passed amendments to the party constitution and rules for a "one person, one vote" system. Until now, the party applied a method that counted one delegate vote as equivalent to 20 party member votes in various internal elections, but going forward, "one person, one vote" means one delegate vote will carry the same value as one party member vote.
Jung Chung-rae brought the "one person, one vote" system to the central committee late last year but it was voted down, so he is pushing it again this time. In the meantime, the pro-Jung faction won two seats in a by-election for supreme council members, securing a majority on the top council (five of nine). In that election, the pro-Jung faction had a relatively higher share in the party member vote. In political circles, there is talk that "a front is forming within the Democratic Party between the pro-Jung faction and the pro-Myung faction over the renewed push for one person, one vote."
◇ Power struggle between pro-Jung and pro-Myung factions over "a stepping stone for Jung Chung-rae to serve another term as party leader"
The pro-Jung and pro-Myung factions are clashing one after another over the "one person, one vote" system. At a closed-door top council meeting on the 16th, pro-Myung supreme council member Kang Deuk-gu was reported as saying, "Jung Chung-rae should first make clear whether (as party leader) he intends to serve another term, and then push to amend the party constitution." Jung's term runs through Aug., and the suggestion was that he is forcing through a one person, one vote system favorable to himself as a move to secure another term as party leader. On this, Park Soo-hyun, the chief spokesperson categorized as pro-Myung, said at a press briefing on the 18th, "If this goes any further, there will be nothing to say even if we are criticized as 'conduct harmful to the party.'"
The clash did not stop. At the top council meeting on the 19th, Lee Un-ju, a supreme council member categorized as pro-Myung, said, "(Chief spokesperson Park Soo-hyun) is effectively gagging people by talking about conduct harmful to the party, which betrays the spirit of democracy." After the meeting, pro-Myung supreme council member Kang Deuk-gu also said, "I cannot accept (the chief spokesperson) calling it conduct harmful to the party." In the end, chief spokesperson Park Soo-hyun said, "If you feel your right to speak was infringed upon, I sincerely apologize," and the situation was wrapped up for now.
Inside and outside the Democratic Party, there was talk that "Jung Chung-rae serving another term as party leader and the one person, one vote system have been tied together, setting the stage for a power struggle between the pro-Jung and pro-Myung factions."
◇ Jung Chung-rae: "Adopting one person, one vote benefits the entire Democratic Party"
Jung Chung-rae stated his position on the "one person, one vote" system at the party affairs committee that day. He said, "Framing one person, one vote as someone's personal gain violates the principle of parity and symmetry," and added, "The existence of pros and cons can be understood as part of democracy's diversity, but saying we should not do it because it benefits someone personally is such a pedantic argument against it."
Jung said, "The one person, one vote system, which can be called a core symbol of the era of party member sovereignty, passed the party affairs committee by an overwhelming majority. I sincerely hope that the central committee will also pass this with high participation," adding, "If we adopt one person, one vote, it benefits the entire Democratic Party and all full party members."
A Democratic Party official said, "With Jung pushing through the one person, one vote system at the party affairs committee, he made clear his intention to press ahead," adding, "At the next stage, the central committee, the pro-Jung and pro-Myung factions will again engage in a power struggle."