Rep. Choi Min-hee presides over a parliamentary committee meeting at the National Assembly on March 24. / Yonhap

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Criticism is mounting within the Democratic Party of Korea over recent remarks by former party leader Song Young-gil, with party members warning against rhetoric that could deepen internal divisions.

The backlash follows comments made by Song on a YouTube channel, where he suggested that some lawmakers aligned with former President Moon Jae-in did not actively support Lee Jae-myung during the 2022 presidential election and may have even hoped for his defeat.

Rep. Choi Min-hee criticized such claims, arguing that the party’s loss in the election stemmed from policy issues, including real estate measures and incomplete prosecution reform, as well as ineffective campaign operations.

“If the election had been led by individuals without personal ambition, we could have won by a margin of 0.73 percentage points,” she said in a social media post.

Rep. Kim Young-jin also downplayed Song’s remarks, suggesting they may reflect personal disappointment. He emphasized that the party had mobilized broad support during the election, including outreach to former members.

Meanwhile, criticism has extended to political commentator Yoo Si-min over his so-called “ABC theory,” which categorized political supporters into ideological and interest-based groups. Kim called for Yoo to retract the comments, describing them as unnecessary and potentially harmful.

Rep. Han Jun-ho also questioned the intent behind such divisive rhetoric, saying it was a time for unity following the formation of a new government.

The ongoing debate highlights growing tensions within the party as it grapples with internal differences and seeks to maintain cohesion ahead of upcoming political challenges.

ⓒ "젊은 파워, 모바일 넘버원 아시아투데이"