In connection with a photo showing President Lee Jae-myung, candidate Jung Chung-rae and a person related to Shincheonji, criticism is growing inside the Democratic Party. The pro-Chung (pro-Jung Chung-rae) faction is said to have pulled in the president as a way to break through the "allegation of Shincheonji meddling in the party convention."
Kim Min-seok, a candidate running for leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, met with reporters after a news conference at the National Assembly briefing room on the 10th and said, "The photo of the Korea Geunu Association chair and the president was taken in Mapo when Lee Ji-eun, the district Chairperson, took (the president) to where the chair was and had him take a picture with candidate Jung," adding, "If someone who knows the whole truth turned it into an issue, the sensible and courteous thing to do is to clarify it first."
Earlier, on the 8th, Kim said on a YouTube live broadcast, "From the photo of the three, they cut out candidate Jung and used the photo with the president and Lee Hee-ja together, and there is anger about that," adding, "Playing games with photos is truly infuriating."
The photo at the center of the controversy was released by a Geunu Association official and was taken at a restaurant in Mapo, Seoul, on Mar. 18, 2024, during the 22nd general election. The person who took a photo with then-leader President Lee and candidate Jung is Lee Hee-ja, chair of the Korea Geunu Association.
Lee was questioned as a suspect by the joint investigation headquarters (JIH) currently investigating alleged collusion between politics and religion related to Shincheonji. Candidate Jung faced allegations related to Shincheonji after giving congratulatory remarks at a local event hosted by the Geunu Association in 2019.
The problem is that when this photo was first made public on the 23rd of last month, candidate Jung was not in it; only the president and Lee were. On YouTube, Lee Ji-eun, the Democratic Party Mapo-gap district commissioner and a member of the pro-Chung (pro-Jung Chung-rae) faction, argued, "If a single photo taken with Lee at an official event is the basis for claiming that Jung Chung-rae and Shincheonji are involved, doesn't this photo also imply that it is related to the leader (the president)?"
Strong reactions are continuing within the party. Park Ji-won, a five-term lawmaker and the oldest in the party, said on Facebook, "I said if you do this kind of thing, you will break or collapse," adding, "Those who did this should resign. Leave the party."
Lawmaker Moon Jin-seok of the same party also said, "The party must immediately file a complaint and launch an investigation," adding, "Vile third-rate political operations that tie the president to Shincheonji must never be let slide."