The election committee for independent North Jeolla governor candidate Kim Kwan-young said on the 16th that the Democratic Party of Korea's "petty behavior has gone too far."
In a commentary that day, the committee said, "Jung Chung-rae's leadership pulled out the 'Saemangeum speed battle' to beg for support for the Democratic Party of Korea candidate, and recently dispatched a covert inspection team, saying it would sternly punish party members who help Kim Kwan-young."
Ahead of the 6·3 local elections, the Democratic Party of Korea reportedly defined supporting another party or an independent candidate, or helping their campaigns, as disloyal conduct and sent out a covert inspection team.
The committee said, "When the Democratic Party of Korea recently sent an official letter to its city and provincial chapters titled 'On sternly cracking down on disloyal conduct during the election period,' many thought surely it wouldn't harm its own members," adding, "As concerns became reality, it poured fuel on the simmering anger of provincial residents."
The committee also said, "The leadership can't even open its mouth about Lee Ho-cheol, former senior presidential secretary for political affairs, who publicly supported Rebuilding Korea Party candidate Cho Kuk," adding, "Singling out North Jeolla for targeted inspections solely to take down Kim Kwan-young is proof that it treats North Jeolla residents like 'dogs and pigs.'"
In addition, the committee addressed a social media post that day by Yoon Jun-byung, the Democratic Party of Korea's North Jeolla provincial chair, titled "On the night of insurrection when constitutional government was ravaged, why did Kim Kwan-young follow the control orders of the insurrectionary forces," saying, "If he spreads his personal views again, he will not be able to avoid legal responsibility."
He went on to say, "It's hard to tell whether this person is a provincial chair representing North Jeolla public sentiment or Jung Chung-rae's henchman," adding, "Does he want to end up in the same position as candidate Lee Won-taek, who was reported to prosecutors on charges of defamation and slandering a candidate after slapping on an insurrection frame?"