Cho Kuk, head of the Rebuilding Korea Party Innovation Policy Institute, on the 7th addressed a merger with the Democratic Party of Korea, saying, "First, there is the issue of restoring trust between the two parties' supporters," and added, "An apology is needed for the smear that labeled the Rebuilding Korea Party's policies as socialist policies."
Cho appeared on Kim Ou-joon's News Factory that day and shared his thoughts on a merger with the Democratic Party. Asked who should apologize, he said, "Ideally, Kim Min-seok, the leader," adding, "Otherwise, those who made the problematic remarks."
He specifically mentioned former Democratic Party Supreme Council member Lee Un-ju. He said, "The former Supreme Council member said the land public concept pursued by the Rebuilding Korea Party is a socialist policy," and added, "At the time, Democratic Party Supreme Council members also publicly claimed that former leader Jung Chung-rae and I had a secret deal to divvy up the party leadership and the presidency. It is a complete falsehood," he said in criticism.
Cho said, "Jung and I used to have meals and drinks together, but since the merger phase, we haven't even had one meal," adding, "They must apologize because the claim of a secret deal with former leader Jung Chung-rae is a lie. That is also the restoration of honor for former leader Jung Chung-rae and me."
Cho also pointed to the slow integration of the democratic and progressive camp as a cause of President Lee Jae-myung's falling approval rating. He said, "I wonder whether, to achieve the goal of centrist expansion, it is right to split the traditional progressive base or to make a particular group within the progressive base into an enemy," adding, "I am skeptical that national governance capacity will be restored by splitting the base and paying attention only to the newly drawn-in side."