Ahn Ho-young of the Democratic Party of Korea said he would continue a hunger strike, calling for the Ethics Inspection Team to reinvestigate issues related to the North Jeolla governor primary.
On the fifth day of his hunger strike, Ahn held a press conference on the 15th at a protest site in front of the National Assembly and, while accepting the Central Party's Review Committee decision on the 14th to dismiss the case, called for additional investigation by the Ethics Inspection Team. Ahn said, "There may be various disagreements over the dismissal decision, and I, too, am very disappointed with the substance of the judgment," adding, "Since there is no further way to contest it procedurally, I will respect the process as one party member."
However, he said, "It is deeply regrettable that the need for additional investigation by the Ethics Inspection Team, which we consistently raised during the review, was not reflected," and stressed, "A reinvestigation or additional investigation by the Ethics Inspection Team is absolutely necessary."
Ahn said, "The initial inspection (of candidate Lee Won-taek) was a hasty process that amounted only to phone checks with a few people due to time constraints," adding, "As a result, a particular candidate was given a 'provisional no suspicion' indulgence, which was used to advantage during the campaign."
Ahn went on to claim that new circumstances contradict Lee Won-taek's explanation. "According to media reports and testimony, the meeting in question was arranged at the request of Lee's side, and contrary to the previous explanation that they left after the meal, it appears a group photo was also taken," he said.
He also stressed that "objective materials such as KakaoTalk chat contents, a group photo, and video have been obtained," adding, "I understand that even during the review process, the chair of the Review Committee mentioned the need for additional investigation by the Ethics Inspection Team."
Ahn added, "Even the inspection results at the time said that if new facts emerged, they would take stern action," and said, "I have no choice but to continue the hunger strike until the (reinspection) request is accepted."
During the Democratic Party primary for North Jeolla governor, suspicions surfaced that then-pre-candidate Lee Won-taek had "someone else pay for a meal," prompting an emergency inspection that concluded "no suspicion." Afterward, Lee won the primary on the 10th and was confirmed as the final candidate, but Ahn has continued a hunger strike since the 11th, calling for a reinspection.
On this day, Democratic Party figures kept visiting Ahn's hunger strike site. In the morning, former deputy head of the Democratic Research Institute Kim Yong appeared. Kim said, "People who worked together in North Jeolla are asking me to stop you quickly, but there is nothing I can do," adding, "It will be harder after today or tomorrow, so shouldn't you stop soon?"