Rebuilding Korea Party Urges Democratic Party Not to Field Candidates in Pyeongtaek B and Gunsan–Gimje–Buan A
- Input
- 2026-02-12 11:05:05
- Updated
- 2026-02-12 11:05:05
[Financial News] The Rebuilding Korea Party on the 12th called on the Democratic Party of Korea not to field candidates in the parliamentary by-elections for the Pyeongtaek B district in Gyeonggi Province and the Gunsan–Gimje–Buan A district in North Jeolla Province.
At a Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly that day, Supreme Council member Jeong Chun-saeng referred to the Democratic Party’s move to withdraw its proposal to merge with the Rebuilding Korea Party before the June local elections and instead create an Alliance and Integration Preparatory Committee. He remarked, "I hope they will recognize the weight and responsibility that come with such proposals," and urged, "The Democratic Party must not nominate candidates in constituencies such as Pyeongtaek B and Gunsan, where by-elections are being held due to the party’s own fault."
Both Pyeongtaek B and Gunsan–Gimje–Buan A became vacant after Democratic Party lawmakers lost their seats due to violations of the Public Official Election Act. In Pyeongtaek B, former lawmaker Lee Byung-jin was fined 7 million won on the 8th of last month. In Gunsan–Gimje–Buan A, former lawmaker Shin Young-dae lost his seat after his election campaign manager received a final sentence of one year in prison, suspended for two years. Under the Public Official Election Act, if an election campaign manager is sentenced to imprisonment or a fine of 3 million won or more for an election-related crime, the election of the lawmaker is invalidated.
Some in political circles interpret this as a demand to secure a constituency for Cho Kuk, leader of the Rebuilding Korea Party. Since the merger before the local elections fell through, the argument is that the Democratic Party should at least help Cho either return to the National Assembly or run for the post of head of a metropolitan or provincial government, and that this message was delivered in an indirect way.
uknow@fnnews.com Kim Yun-ho Reporter