Ruling Party Leadership Discord Intensifies…'Choi Min-hee Expulsion' vs 'Kim Min-seok Ethics Investigation' Head-on Collision

The Democratic Party of Korea is experiencing escalating factional conflict within its leadership, evolving into an all-out confrontation through orders for ethics investigations and boycotts of executive committee meetings. The crisis triggered by executive committee member Choi Min-hee's past off-the-record remarks is intensifying amid a power struggle between the pro-Lee Jae-myung faction (party authority) and the pro-Jung Cheong-raeng faction (anti-party authority).

Recordings of 'Impeachment Opposition Remarks and Religious Support Claims' Spark Controversy

The incident began with executive member Choi's remarks made public through recent media reports. Committee member Choi allegedly stated during a closed-door party member meeting on the 16th of last month that President Lee Jae-myung opposed the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk-yeol. The controversy expanded when additional recordings were reported containing remarks suggesting that a specific religious organization had supported party leader Kim Min-seok during the August general convention. Previously, executive member Choi had made a public apology for using inappropriate language directed at National Assembly photographers and videographers.

As the controversy grew, Blue House Chief Spokesperson Kang Yoo-jung immediately countered claims related to impeachment, stating, "This is groundless and we express strong regret." Executive member Choi also corrected her remarks through social media and a press conference, apologizing and saying she had "mistakenly confused the issue with the impeachment problem of former Prime Minister Han Deok-soo." The religious organization in question also drew a line, stating there was "no fact of systematically supporting any specific politician."

Party Leader Kim's 'Ethics Investigation' Card; Pro-Lee Faction Pressures 'Expulsion of Choi Min-hee'

Party Leader Kim Min-seok ordered an immediate ethics investigation on the 12th, taking executive member Choi's series of controversial remarks and actions seriously. Pro-Lee faction members and the Democratic Party National Innovation Council, a pro-Lee tendency group within the party, urged her expulsion, citing that her remarks damaged party discipline and unity.

Pro-Jung Faction's Three Executives Boycott Meeting, Counter-Press Conference…"Targeted Investigation" Counterattack

Pro-Jung faction executive committee members responded strongly. Executive committee members Choi Min-hee, Lee Sung-yoon, and Han Min-soo boycotted the executive committee meeting held on the 13th and held a separate press conference at the National Assembly Communication Office. During the press conference, they claimed, "The target of the ethics investigation should be party leader Kim Min-seok, not executive member Choi," raising issues of fairness in the investigation order. They further raised suspicions that an ongoing party-level investigation into allegations of mass recruitment of Shincheonji members is a targeted investigation aimed at former party leader Jung Cheong-raeng, demanding full disclosure of investigation results.

The party authority criticized the collective action of some leaders as inappropriate divisive behavior. Chief Spokesperson Park Sung-joon pointed out that the executive committee members' boycott of the meeting was "highly inappropriate collective action that divides the party."

Senior party members are urging party leader Kim and former party leader Jung to meet and resolve the conflict. However, the dispute is expected to continue for some time as the gap between the two sides widens regarding the fairness of the Shincheonji investigation and the legitimacy of the ethics investigation.