Is the Appointed Supreme Council Seat Reserved for the Innovation Party?... Merger Dispute in the Ruling Bloc Deepens over 'Internal Document'

Internal merger document of the Democratic Party of Korea revealed externally
Includes plans such as "appointing an Innovation Party member to the Supreme Council"
Backlash grows within the Democratic Party of Korea

As controversy surrounding the merger discussions between the Democratic Party of Korea and the Cho Kuk Innovation Party continues to intensify, an internal document has emerged as a new flashpoint. Although an internal document related to the merger from within the Democratic Party was released to the media, both parties have drawn a clear line, stating that no prior agreement had been reached.

On February 6, a Democratic Party official responded to reports about the existence of an internal document detailing the concrete timeline for the merger and the composition of the Supreme Council, saying, "A proposal (for merger) was made, so as a working-level staff member, it was only natural to gather past cases and prepare operationally." The official added, "Neither Democratic Party leader Jung Cheongrae nor Cho Kuk, leader of the Innovation Party, discussed the matter at all." The Democratic Party further clarified through a separate announcement, "(The document in question) was neither reported to nor discussed at any official meeting."

Yonhap News Agency

The Innovation Party also stated, "Neither Chairman Cho Kuk nor anyone else in the party received or discussed the contents of the document," adding, "The timeline for the merger, composition of the leadership, and standards for reinstatement as described in the reported document were drafted without any prior consultation with the Innovation Party."

The document, revealed through a report by the DongA Ilbo, reportedly includes a specific schedule for the merger, a plan to appoint Innovation Party figures as appointed Supreme Council members, and criteria for reinstatement for those who moved from the Democratic Party to the Innovation Party if they run in local elections.

Kang Deukgu, a Supreme Council member of the Democratic Party who is critical of the merger, asserted, "The leader claims to have been unaware, but it is necessary to clarify when the document was drafted, whether it was discussed with Chairman Cho, and the conditions of any negotiations." He added, "If this is true, it amounts to a clandestine meeting." Lee Eonju, another Democratic Party Supreme Council member, said during a public statement at the Supreme Council meeting, "Even if everyone applauds and pushes ahead, noise at the working level is inevitable when it comes to mergers." She continued, "Let's drop this immediately and focus on supporting the elections and the president's administration."

In contrast, Seo Wangjin, floor leader of the Innovation Party, responded during a CBS radio interview to certain Democratic Party members criticizing the Innovation Party as a 'host,' saying, "Using such expressions to refer to our party crosses the line." He added, "I believe discussions will only be possible if the Democratic Party brings order to its own ranks."

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