The Democratic Party of Korea leadership said it will also assess, through the election evaluation committee, the messages and actions by government officials that emerged during the June 3 local elections. After it noted that it was also necessary to evaluate how Prime Minister Kim Min-seok's rumored bid for party leader affected the race, the pro-Myung faction clashed, saying, "The leadership should resign immediately."
On the 14th, Jo Seoung-lae, the Democratic Party secretary-general, met with reporters at the National Assembly and said, "We need to evaluate not only the central party, city and provincial parties, local committees, and camps, but also how the messages and actions of government officials during the election process affected public opinion."
He then said at the end of the press briefing, "Since the parties did not deny the articles saying the prime minister would step down, wasn't it taken as fact?" and added, "There is a need to conduct an evaluation."
The pro-Myung faction immediately pushed back. Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Geon-tae issued a statement on Facebook, saying, "Is the current leadership focusing on a power struggle rather than evaluating and reflecting on the election?" and, "What does the sitting prime minister's status and the possibility of a bid for party leadership have to do with evaluating the local elections?"
Lee said, "Are you truly trying to find the cause of the election defeat, or are you trying to weigh the pros and cons for the next leadership race?" and added, "Party leader Jung Chung-rae and Secretary-General Jo are responsible for overseeing the current leadership and party affairs and are subjects of evaluation regarding the results of these local elections."
He also said, "It is neither fair nor reasonable for the current leadership, which should step down, to lead the election evaluation while simultaneously managing the next party convention," and added, "Party leader Jung Chung-rae and the leadership should resign immediately."
Former Democratic Party Spokesperson Kim Ji-ho also said, "I cannot agree with Secretary-General Jo's approach," adding, "Local elections are not elections run by the government; they are elections run by the Democratic Party."
He pointed out, "The greatest responsibility for the election results lies with the party's strategy and nominations, candidate competitiveness, organizational management, and campaigning," and added, "Therefore, making the president's and government officials' remarks a subject of evaluation in assessing the election results sets the direction of responsibility incorrectly."