Growing "Shincheonji Involvement" Allegations in Democratic Party... Escalates into Factional Proxy War

Choi Minhee: "Were You Aware of the Shincheonji Investigation?"
Park Sunwon: "Deliberately Spreading False Perceptions"

A fierce proxy battle is raging between factions over the recent allegations of "Shincheonji involvement" raised by Kim Min-seok, a candidate for leader of the Democratic Party of Korea.

Lee Sung-yoon, Han Min-soo, and Choi Min-hee, candidates for the Supreme Council of the Democratic Party of Korea, hold a press conference on the 22nd at the National Assembly Communication Office demanding evidence regarding the allegations related to 'Shincheonji' raised by party representative candidate Kim Min-seok. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Choi Min-hee, classified as part of the pro-Lee Jae-myung camp and running for the Supreme Council, posted on social media on the 25th, addressing Kim: "I am curious whether you were aware in advance regarding the Special Investigation Headquarters’ probe into Shincheonji," demanding a response.

She continued, pointing out issues with press reports alleging "Shincheonji members joining the Democratic Party": "There was a report stating, ‘Membership records were identified from 2021 to 2024.’ So I said, ‘At that time, the party leaders were Lee Nak-yon and Song Young-gil,’ but the article was later changed to, ‘Records were found around the June 3 local elections.’"

Choi further criticized, "The Special Investigation Headquarters has appeared in the party leader primary, and media outlets are echoing the allegations of Shincheonji infiltration into the Democratic Party around June 3 without clear evidence," adding, "Who is behind this operation?"

The previous day, at a press conference in the National Assembly with fellow pro-Lee Jae-myung Supreme Council candidates Lee Sung-yoon and Han Min-soo, Choi demanded, "Present evidence of organized mass Shincheonji membership in the Democratic Party," and urged, "If there is no basis, you should take responsibility for damaging the party’s reputation and resign."

In response, Park Sun-won, a Supreme Council candidate from the pro-Lee Jae-myung camp, criticized Choi on social media on the same day: "Is Assemblywoman Choi employing perception management techniques by deliberately fabricating a false narrative, linking allegations of People Power Party Shincheonji membership between 2021 and 2024 to the ‘Lee Nak-yon and Song Young-gil’ era?"

Park further argued, "Criticizing Shincheonji and Ryu Si-min is off-limits, while defending Cho Kuk and covertly attacking President Lee Jae-myung seems to be the true mark of anti-Lee Jae-myung divisive politics."

Park also rebuked the three members who called for Kim’s resignation at the press conference, saying, "Those trying to paralyze the President with divisive, anti-Lee Jae-myung politics are blatantly embodying factionalism by clustering together. Such behavior is truly deplorable."

Another pro-Lee Jae-myung lawmaker, Chae Hyun-il, also posted on social media, "Kim’s claim was a warning to party members, aiming to prevent organized political intervention by external pseudo-religious groups," stressing, "Clear responsibility must be taken for distorting the facts and confusing party members."

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