Lee's "Arrows from Behind"... Ruling Party Rift Deepens

Lee Shares Video of Cheon Recalling 2023 Passage of Arrest Motion

Lee Encourages Cheon, Who Rebutted Choi's Claim He Opposed Impeachment

Ruling Party Factional Rift Deepens Over Calls to Investigate and Expel Choi

Kim Namjoon: "The President Must Not Be Smeared With Fabricated Claims... I Will Speak Out"

"As always, the hardest thing is the arrows coming from behind."

That was what President Lee Jaemyung wrote on the night of Nov. 14 when he shared on X (formerly Twitter) a video of Cheon Junho, who had served as his chief of staff when he was leader of the Democratic Party of Korea. The post came a day after Cheon, the party's senior deputy floor leader for operations, publicly rebutted remarks by Democratic Party Supreme Council member Choi Minhee that Lee had opposed impeaching former President Yoon Sukyeol. With pro-Lee and pro-Cheong factions at odds over an order to investigate Choi and calls for her expulsion, Lee publicly encouraged Cheon, effectively joining the dispute within the ruling party.

In the video shared by Lee, Cheon recalled trying to persuade party lawmakers who were leaning toward approving an arrest warrant for then-Democratic Party leader Lee ahead of a vote on the motion on Sept. 21, 2023. In the secret ballot, 149 lawmakers voted in favor, one more than the number needed for the motion to pass. It was the moment when defections within the Democratic Party allowed a motion to arrest its leader to clear the National Assembly.

Recalling the episode, Cheon said, "Looking back now, it was truly horrifying." Lee then thanked Cheon for standing by him as he faced a prosecution investigation and an attack, and wrote: "There is still much to do and high hurdles to overcome, but, as always, the hardest thing is the arrows coming from behind. Let us overcome any obstacles wisely and faithfully carry out the duties entrusted to us by the sovereign people."

In the same broadcast, Cheon also said Lee had never opposed impeaching former President Yoon after the imposition of martial law. Pointing to the impact of remarks by party leadership, he also called for the party to respond firmly. Lee did not mention Choi by name, but by publicly encouraging the person who rebutted her claim, he lent weight to Cheon's remarks. Kim Namjoon, a Democratic Party lawmaker and one of Lee's closest confidants who previously served as a Blue House spokesperson, also joined in. Quoting Lee's post, he wrote: "There must be no more distorting and slandering the president with fabricated claims. Especially not within the party. I will speak out."

Democratic Party of Korea lawmakers Choi Minhee, Lee Seongyun, and Han Minsu leave the press room after holding a press conference on current issues at the National Assembly Communications Hall on Nov. 13, 2026. Photo by Yoon Dongju

The rift within the Democratic Party is expected to deepen. At a closed-door meeting with party members in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, last month, Choi said, in effect, that Lee had opposed impeaching former President Yoon and tried to push for his resignation. After the remarks sparked controversy, she corrected them, saying Lee had consistently pursued impeachment since the imposition of martial law. But when party leader Kim Minseok ordered the Ethics Inspection Group to investigate, Choi and fellow Supreme Council members Lee Seongyun and Han Minsu took the drastic step of skipping the Supreme Council meeting on Nov. 13 and holding a separate press conference. Citing allegations of a so-called "three-way alliance of anti-Lee forces, divisive elements, and the Shincheonji Church" that Kim had raised during the party convention, the three countered that Kim himself should be investigated.

As the situation grew worse, the pro-Lee National Innovation Council for the Democratic Party issued a statement on Nov. 13 calling for Choi's expulsion. The following day, a Gyeonggi Province organization made the same demand in front of the party's Namyangju office. Calls for her expulsion also emerged among lawmakers aligned with the party leadership. Meanwhile, pro-Cheong Supreme Council members are demanding the full release of findings from a party task force that investigated allegations of a group entry of Shincheonji Church members into the party, saying the task force targeted former leader Jeong Cheongrae. In effect, the inspection dispute that began with Choi's remarks has escalated into a standoff over Kim Minseok's leadership and management of the party.

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