Democratic Party leader Jung Chung-rae speaks during a Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on December 5. / Yonhap News

Democratic Party leader Jung Chung-rae on December 5 emphasized that the party’s push to adopt a one-person-one-vote system represents “the starting point” for transforming the party into a member-sovereignty organization. His remarks came ahead of submitting proposed amendments to the party constitution and bylaws, including the voting reform, to the party’s Central Committee.

At a Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly, Jung said, “Today we submit the one-person-one-vote system to the Central Committee. If the party fully implements it, we can move toward a true member-sovereignty party. The owners of the party are its members.” He added, “Today’s revision marks the beginning, and the Democratic Party’s ownership will return to its members.”

Jung acknowledged past concerns about insufficient deliberation and the needs of underrepresented regions, saying the proposal had been revised to reflect such feedback. “This is a revised plan unanimously agreed upon by the task force. Practicing democracy is the model our party should uphold. I ask for the support of our members,” he said.

Jung then sharply criticized People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk for delivering a speech marking the first anniversary of the December 3 martial-law incident without offering an apology. “I am angered that he doubled down on ‘Yoon-again,’” Jung said, referring to former president Yoon Suk-yeol. Citing media reports that only seven out of 90 lawmakers who voted to lift martial law would do so again, Jung argued, “What we thought was a tumor limited to Yoon and a few collaborators has clearly spread throughout the People Power Party.”

He added, “Rot does not become flesh — it must be cut out. Those who refuse to reflect or apologize deserve only punishment and the dissolution of their party. The Democratic Party will continue working until the remnants of insurrection are eradicated and constitutional democracy is restored.”

Floor leader Kim Byung-ki criticized what he described as the politicization of prosecutors, saying, “The public is outraged because prosecutors who should be the most just have participated in fabricated investigations and indictments. Under military dictatorship, democracy and justice were crushed by guns; under prosecutorial dictatorship, they were attacked through fabricated indictments.” He called for full investigations by the Justice Ministry and law-enforcement agencies, adding, “We will mobilize all means — hearings, parliamentary inquiries, special prosecutors — to uncover the corruption.”

Supreme Council member Lee Un-ju also criticized the ruling party, noting that only 25 out of 107 People Power Party lawmakers issued apologies. She welcomed those who distanced themselves from Yoon Suk-yeol but said the party leadership continued to “spew reckless remarks to justify martial law.” She added, “Han Dong-hoon, who had been quiet, suddenly emerged to claim the insurrection was the Democratic Party’s fault. How can the 25 PPP lawmakers coexist within such a party?”

ⓒ "젊은 파워, 모바일 넘버원 아시아투데이"