At the Aug. 17 party convention, lawmakers Lee Seong-yoon, Choi Min-hee, and Han Min-soo, known as candidates from the pro-parental home (pro-Jeong Cheong-rae) faction, on the 13th demanded that former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok explain his past conduct and various allegations raised during the convention process.
Lee Seong-yoon, Choi Min-hee, and Han Min-soo held an emergency press conference on the morning of the 13th and, saying "Candidate Kim Min-seok, answer," raised questions targeting the former prime minister. They said that regarding Kim's appearance the previous day on YouTube run by Kim Ou-joon, where he said, "I thought it would be fine if Chung Mong-joon won," "In his candidacy declaration, he said he 'threw his whole body into unifying Roh Moo-hyun and Chung Mong-joon,' so is he retracting that?"
They went on, "He said, 'In 2002, I left the party, issued a statement saying I would achieve a single candidacy and then return, went out, succeeded in unification, and came back,'" and added, "But in Kim's withdrawal statement, the phrase 'I will return after unification' is not visible, and instead it says he will do his best to ensure the new party develops as a public party rather than as Chung Mong-joon's personal party."
They also argued over the timing of the government's request to handle the bill abolishing the supplementary investigative authority, saying, "In April, the government finalized its position to abolish the supplementary investigative authority and told us to handle it in the National Assembly in May," and asked, "To whom in the party did you say to handle it in May, and isn't finalizing the government's position different from handling it in the National Assembly in May?"
Along with this, they demanded that Kim explain the allegations over Democratic Party Supreme Council member Lee Un-ju's Telegram messages, the "prime minister" reference that appeared on Democratic Party lawmaker Kang Deuk-gu's Facebook, and the claim of a "three-way secret alliance of anti-Myung, divisionists, and Shincheonji."
They added, "Someone who betrayed comrades can betray the people," and "A false person cannot become the Democratic Party leader."