Democratic Party leadership race heats up over 'reconstruction' debate

A debate over the Democratic Party of Korea's political direction has broken into the open among leadership contenders, sparked by writer Yu Si-min's so-called "reconstruction" argument that has sent ripples through the party.

Former party leader Jung Chung-rae and Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, both attending the same workshop Sunday, offered noticeably different takes on Yu's remarks, trading subtle jabs in the process.

Jung stopped short of directing criticism at Yu, framing his response around the need to unite progressive forces. Kim took an indirect but pointed swipe at the writer by insisting that expanding the party's base has been a defining mission of every Democratic president since Kim Dae-jung.

Speaking to reporters after attending a workshop for young winners of the June 3 local elections in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, on Sunday, Jung said of Yu's remarks: "For now, everyone should hold their words. I'll leave it to those watching and listening to judge for themselves."

He then said, "At a time like this, we should reflect on the Democratic Party's history of evolving into a party of unity, solidarity and democratic citizenship," and added, "We must first achieve unity within our own ranks."

Jung said the party should "set aside those who back insurrection by calling for a return of Yoon, and instead focus on discussing unity and solidarity to reclaim power." He added, "As we saw in the June 3 local elections, unity and solidarity brought victory — division brought defeat."

Asked whether he meant forming a merger with parties such as the Cho Guk Innovation Party, Jung said, "Ahead of the general election and presidential election, shouldn't we merge where merging is possible and build solidarity where solidarity is possible?"

Kim, who attended the workshop alongside Jung, offered a veiled rebuke of Yu when speaking to reporters. "Protecting the core of the democratic forces while working to expand the base is something every president since Kim Dae-jung has done, and it must continue," he said.

Asked about the debate over whether the ruling party's core supporters might be drifting away, Kim said, "Core supporters are those who consistently back the democratic camp so it can succeed in the broader sense." He added, "I don't think there has been any meaningful shift in support."

Kim also called for a "major renewal" of the Democratic Party, saying it needed to advance as both a policy-driven party and a member-sovereign party while embracing new themes such as dignity in political culture and youth engagement. "I think it would be good to boldly pursue youth co-governance in researching and advancing youth policy," he said.

He added that the party should deepen its work on youth policy "by engaging in dialogue with young people who hold a wide range of progressive and conservative views," and said he would look for ways to reflect that approach within the party.

The two men also revealed their differing perspectives in their congratulatory remarks at the workshop.

Kim, who took the podium first, said the party's task was to "clearly uphold the DNA of reform while boldly reshaping the playing field on a much broader scale to win consistently going forward." He added, "We must build a framework where we unite with those who agree, form solidarity with those who differ, and expand where we are too narrow."

Jung, who followed, told the audience not to forget "the mission to make Lee Jae Myung's history bloom further, nourished by the histories of Kim Dae-jung, Roh Moo-hyun and Moon Jae-in." He said, "There may be accomplished sunbae and less accomplished sunbae, accomplished juniors and less accomplished juniors, but we are all here with one shared purpose — the return to power and the success of the Lee Jae Myung government."

Rep. Song Yeong-gil, who held a town hall meeting with rank-and-file party members in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, that day, also joined the fray.

"The Democratic Party is playing on too small a field," he said. "In soccer, if you play on a narrow field, you can't produce creative play — and you lose."

Song also took aim at Jung's position calling for the complete abolition of supplementary investigative powers, saying it was "an exaggeration to act as if the country will collapse without it," and warned, "If we lose power over this, everything reverts."

"You should persuade the president with sincerity, not use this as a weapon to attack him," Song said. "What kind of ruling party leader attacks the president so recklessly and then claims to be interfering in party affairs? Do they really know what they're saying?"

He also warned that "the privatization of the Democratic Party — a party with a blood-soaked history — is absolutely unacceptable," and, invoking the late former President Roh Moo-hyun, urged the party to "make sure our president never again falls because of our own internal divisions."

The controversy began June 26 when Yu appeared on a YouTube channel and compared President Lee Jae Myung's push to broaden the party's base in line with his unity agenda to "reconstruction," saying, "What those who cheered him on wanted was an extension, not a teardown."

Criticism of Yu continued to pour in Sunday, led mainly by non-leadership factions aligned with Lee.

Rep. Jung Jin-wook wrote on Facebook that Yu was "herding people into a frame, distorting public sentiment and driving wedges."

Rep. Lee Geon-tae, a former lawyer in the "Daejang-dong case," wrote on Facebook that "a post mocking and caricaturing President Lee Jae Myung's disability has even appeared on the Ddanzi Ilbo bulletin board," and called on party members to stop trading hateful insults.