Cho Kuk, leader of the Rebuilding Korea Party, said on the 22nd that he would "discuss and decide" on Democratic Party of Korea leader Jung Chung-rae's proposal for a merger.
Cho said that morning at the North Jeolla provincial party office, "Before coming to today's Supreme Council meeting, I heard that Leader Jung proposed a merger," and stated accordingly.
He added, "I met Leader Jung late in the afternoon on the 21st and received details about today's announcement," and said, "It was sudden, but because the weight of the proposal is by no means light, I deliberated with the Supreme Council members."
Cho also said, "The Rebuilding Korea Party and the Democratic Party have consistently been walking that path together with the goal of the Lee Jae-myung administration's success and the return of power," and "At the same time, the Rebuilding Korea Party is independently pursuing progressive future tasks that the Democratic Party does not speak of, such as political reform and constitutional revision, achieving advanced social rights, and legislating the concept of public ownership of land."
He continued, "We are listening carefully to the voices of the public and party members to determine the best path to achieve both of these tasks of the times, and I have ordered the prompt convening of a general meeting of lawmakers and the Party Affairs Committee," and said, "The Rebuilding Korea Party will discuss and decide in the direction indicated by the people's hearts and will, and we will report to the public as soon as results come out."
Earlier that morning at the National Assembly, Jung held a press conference and proposed a merger to the Rebuilding Korea Party to win the local elections in June.
Jung said, "I believe the Democratic Party and the Rebuilding Korea Party should now run as one team, not separately, based on the spirit of the times, for the shared goal of the Lee Jae-myung administration's success," adding, "I hope a working-level table will be set up quickly for the merger of the two parties."