Cho Kuk, leader of the Rebuilding Korea Party, said on the 8th regarding the Democratic Party of Korea's merger proposal, "If there is no official and public answer by the 13th, when the Lunar New Year holiday begins, we will consider that there will be no merger." In response, the Democratic Party of Korea said, "Jung Chung-rae will announce a position as soon as possible after going through the general meeting of lawmakers scheduled for the 10th and a process to gather party members' opinions."
At a National Assembly press conference that day, Cho said, "Please decide the Democratic Party of Korea's official position by the 13th, before the Lunar New Year holiday begins," adding, "If there is no official and public answer by the 13th, the Rebuilding Korea Party will consider that there will be no merger."
Aiming at the Democratic Party of Korea, Cho said, "Please make a clear choice on whether to form an electoral alliance as a separate party without a merger, not to form an electoral alliance at all, or to compete on values and vision within a single party." He added, "I propose a meeting with Jung Chung-rae, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea."
Regarding claims in some quarters that Jung Chung-rae and Cho reached a secret deal to merge, Cho said, "There was no secret deal of any kind. Nor was there any discussion of equity." Earlier, DONG-A ILBO reported that an internal Democratic Party of Korea document titled "Review of merger procedures and promotion schedule (draft)" included content on "an agreement on the scope of succession for the current leadership and the allocation ratio within the unified leadership to the Rebuilding Korea Party side (including appointed supreme council members)."
Cho said, "Has there ever been a ruling party that waged a fierce power struggle with party leadership and the next presidential race in mind less than a year into a new government?" He continued, "On top of that, to win that power struggle, they heaped false slander on the Rebuilding Korea Party, our allied party that received the merger proposal, and on me as its leader." He added, "Do not use me and the Rebuilding Korea Party for your internal power struggle. Please observe basic courtesy toward an allied party."
In response, Park Soo-hyun, chief spokesperson of the Democratic Party of Korea, said at a National Assembly press briefing, "Jung will gather opinions at the (10th) general meeting of lawmakers and, reflecting party members' views, will announce a position on pushing for a merger as soon as possible after the meeting."