Minhee Choi Says "Ilbe Culture Has Infiltrated Democratic Party"... Pro-Lee Jinseok Moon Demands Apology

"Some Party Members Boo and Ridicule 'Pro-Cheong' Candidates at Chungcheong Joint Speech Session"

Choi Minhee, an assemblywoman running for the Supreme Council Member position of the Democratic Party of Korea, strongly criticized and claimed that "Ilbe culture has seeped into the Democratic Party" in response to boos from some party members during the joint speech event held in Gongju, South Chungcheong Province, on the 1st.

Choi Minhee, a candidate for the Supreme Council Member of the Democratic Party of Korea, is delivering her policy speech at the joint speech event for the party leader and supreme council member patrol primary held at the CJB Media Center in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, on the 1st. Photo by Yonhap News

Right after the speech event, Assemblywoman Choi posted on her social networking service (SNS), criticizing that “There was the phenomenon of attacking Jeong Cheongrae in a one-against-many candidate structure, including mockery and boos,” and asserted, “Even Ilbe culture has penetrated into the joint speech event of the party leadership.” She then appealed, “Please help build a reformed leadership with Jeong Cheongrae. I will set things right, one by one. I will smash the Ilbe culture that has infiltrated our party.”

Choi’s remarks are seen as a response to some attendees in South Chungcheong Province making heckling comments and booing candidate Jeong during the joint speech event for the party convention process held the same day. On that day, Lee Seongyun, a candidate close to Jeong Cheongrae seeking re-election to the Supreme Council, triggered shouts of “That's enough!” from some supporters when he said, “I have served as Supreme Council member once,” at the joint speech event held in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province.

Immediately after Assemblywoman Choi's comments, objections were raised within the party. Moon Jinseok, a 'pro-Lee Jaemyung' (pro-Lee Jaemyung) assemblyman whose constituency is Cheonan Gap-eul, South Chungcheong Province, wrote on his SNS on the same day, “Today's joint speech event in South Chungcheong Province was calmer than any other party convention. The only protest was a single party member's shout: ‘Why are you running again?’”

He went on to say, “Defining a party member’s outcry and a few sighs as ‘Ilbe culture has infiltrated’ is excessive. No matter how uncomfortable the members’ voices may be, we must listen to them. That is what a party rooted in members’ sovereignty should do.” He then urged Assemblywoman Choi, “I respectfully advise you to apologize.”

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