Ruling Party Faces Internal Rift Over Merger, Lawmakers Demand Meeting: "We Cannot Rely Only on Jung Cheong-rae"

Financial News reported that, ahead of the local elections, internal calls have emerged for a general meeting of lawmakers after the leak of an internal document on a possible merger between the Democratic Party of Korea and the Rebuilding Korea Party. Han Jun-ho, a Democratic Party lawmaker considered a potential candidate for Governor of Gyeonggi Province, argued, "I have concluded that we can no longer rely solely on Chair Jung Cheong-rae’s personal decision regarding the merger," as he demanded that a general meeting be convened.
Han held a press conference at the National Assembly Communication Center the same day and stated, "This morning (the 6th), a media report revealed in concrete detail the scenario and timeline being reviewed for a merger with the Rebuilding Korea Party." He continued, "If the report is accurate, we cannot help but fundamentally question whether procedures have been moving toward a conclusion that was already predetermined."
He argued, "The gap that has emerged between the principle of a 'party member–centered decision,' which Chair Jung has repeatedly emphasized, and the reality is now being felt by party members not just as disappointment but as a crack in trust." He added, "This anxiety will not stop here. If this controversy drags on for a month or even longer, the burden will inevitably fall squarely on the party and the administration."
He went on, "At this point, I really want to ask," and questioned, "Does the current approach truly help ensure the success of the Lee Jae-myung administration? Is it a responsible choice that prepares us to win the local elections?"
Addressing Chair Jung directly, he urged, "Please explain transparently to party members and the public how the document reviewing scenarios and timelines for the merger was drafted, who made those judgments, and where responsibility lies." He reiterated, "I ask that efforts to push through a merger before the local elections be halted at this point in time."
After the press conference, Han spoke with reporters about the controversy over the leak of the party’s internal merger document. He countered Jung’s explanation, saying, "From my long experience observing party affairs, party officials do not independently proceed with matters that carry such heavy responsibility."
Earlier that day, at a Supreme Council meeting, Chair Jung stressed that the document in question had not been formally reported and explained that it had been drafted at the working level within the party and then leaked. He said he had asked Secretary-General Cho Seung-rae to "conduct a thorough investigation into who was responsible" and added, "I believe we must hold those responsible to account."
The Democratic Party of Korea also stated through its public relations office that the document was "a working-level compilation of merger procedures under the party constitution and rules, and of past merger cases, prepared after the party leader’s merger proposal." It added, "It was never reported to or discussed in any official meeting."
gowell@fnnews.com Reporter Kim Hyeong-gu Reporter