Reform Party's Cheon apologizes in Busan over 'staged attack' nomination

Cheon Ha-ram, acting leader of the Reform Party, traveled to Busan on Wednesday to apologize over the party's nomination of Jung Yi-han, the former Busan mayoral candidate indicted on charges of staging a fake attack on himself, saying the party was "sincerely sorry for the wrong nomination."

Cheon began greeting and apologizing to Busan residents at around 7 a.m. Wednesday in front of the Sejung Tower on Geumjeong-ro in Geumjeong-gu — the very site where Jung allegedly staged the fake attack.

"The Reform Party was founded with the goal of pursuing more principled and reform-minded politics, and I am truly and sincerely sorry that we nominated a candidate who caused such great harm to the public and the people of Busan," Cheon said. "We were so focused on fielding a Busan mayoral candidate that the vetting process during nomination fell short. We should have been far more thorough, and I feel a great deal of regret and self-reproach."

On why the apology had taken so long, Cheon said the investigation had still been ongoing and the party had been deeply embarrassed internally. "Now that he has been indicted and detained and the full picture has come to light to a certain extent, I believe it is only proper to come to Busan in person and apologize to its residents," he said.

Regarding the Reform Party's own internal inquiry, Cheon said the probe had confirmed issues with Jung's past conduct, problems during the campaign, and what he described as an excessive pursuit of candidate consolidation. He added, however, that details directly related to the staged attack itself had not emerged in large part because the party lacked investigative authority.

The Reform Party fielded 192 candidates nationwide in the June 3 local elections but won only a single ward council seat. Former party leader Lee Jun-seok stepped down to take responsibility for the defeat, leaving Cheon to serve as acting leader and manage the fallout.