Democratic Party vs. Innovation Party, Tensions Escalate: "Take Off the Mask and Compete" vs. "Ruling Party Opposes Greater Politics"

The ongoing war of words between the Democratic Party of Korea and the Cho Kuk Innovation Party, both competing in the by-election for the Pyeongtaek-eul constituency in Gyeonggi Province, continues day after day.

On May 31, Cho Seungrae, Chief of the General Election Countermeasures Headquarters of the Democratic Party of Korea, held a press conference at the National Assembly and sharply criticized, "The Innovation Party candidate should run under the name of the Innovation Party. Why are they running in this election wearing the mask of the Democratic Party?" He added, "I hope they take off the mask and compete under the name of the Innovation Party."

(Seoul=Yonhap News) Photo by Jae-man Bae = Cho Seungrae, the General Election Committee Director of the Democratic Party, is holding a press conference related to the June 3 local elections at the National Assembly on May 28, 2026. scoop@yna.co.kr (End)

Regarding the prospects for the by-election in Pyeongtaek-eul, Cho stated, "Politics in the Republic of Korea does not revolve around the Innovation Party. It does not revolve around the Democratic Party either. It revolves around the people." He continued, "That is why I do not understand the absurd logic of saying, 'If I am elected, integration will go well.'" This is interpreted as a criticism of the Cho Kuk Innovation Party candidate's pledge to promote integration with the Democratic Party if elected in Pyeongtaek-eul.

Earlier that day, Cho Kuk, the Innovation Party candidate, stated at the Central Election Countermeasures Committee meeting, "With narrow-minded politics that diminish the entire democratic reform camp for the sake of personal interest, we cannot fulfill our historical mission." He added, "I promised that after this election, I would take responsibility and promote solidarity and integration."

Cho Kuk also targeted the Democratic Party, saying, "Regrettably, yesterday, the Democratic Party's candidate for Pyeongtaek-eul and some of its leadership opposed building a larger and stronger democratic reform camp," and criticized, "This runs completely counter to the wishes of the citizens of Pyeongtaek and the people of the democratic reform camp."

On the same day, Lee Haemin, Chief of the General Election Countermeasures Headquarters of the Innovation Party, asserted, "Will the leadership of the Democratic Party continue to bear the time bomb of division, the so-called 'Kim Yongnam risk,' even after the election?" He further stated, "If you put together the various allegations against Kim Yongnam, the Democratic Party's candidate for Pyeongtaek-eul, you inevitably arrive at the conclusion that he is the very embodiment of a bad prosecutor." He continued, "The Democratic Party, the Progressive Party, the Social Democratic Party, and the Basic Income Party must all unite and remember that the root of Yoon Suk Yeol's regime of rebellion lies in prosecutorial supremacy. We, who are united in the fight for prosecutorial reform, cannot allow the seeds of such a corrupt prosecution to be revived in the National Assembly."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.