Rep. Yeom Tae-young of the Democratic Party of Korea unleashed sharp criticism at the leadership of Jung Chung-rae and, ahead of the party convention, urged the party leader, the secretary-general, and other political appointees to step aside to ensure fair party operations.
On the 16th on Facebook, Rep. Yeom said, "I can no longer just let this slide," criticizing remarks by Supreme Council member Park Gyu-hwan on the 14th who asked, "Isn't it not only the party leader who should step down but the entire Cabinet as well?," saying it was "hard to believe even if it were from an opposition lawmaker."
He also raised issues with how the party is being run ahead of the party convention. Rep. Yeom said, "Former leader Lee Jae-myung stepped down 55 days before the 2024 party convention," adding, "This is the Democratic Party's precedent and the bare minimum common sense." He went on, "The current party leader, who intends to seek another term, is still overseeing party affairs that directly or indirectly affect the election even now, two months before the party convention."
On June 10, the Democratic Party, at its party affairs committee, approved the creation of a special provisional clause that waives the preparation deadline solely for the party convention set for Aug. 17, and the measure passed that day by majority consent in an online vote of the central committee.
Yeom also said, "The secretary-general formed and is leading the organization reinforcement committee to appoint regional chapter heads, and also appointed members of the June 3 local election evaluation committee, saying they will complete the evaluation before the party convention," adding, "This is why party members keep criticizing that the player is trying to double as the referee."
He added, "A party leader ahead of the party convention must make their position clear," and "Major political appointees selected by the party leader, including the secretary-general, must immediately step back from convention-related party affairs and the local election evaluation and step down together."