Ruling party hit for revising party rule for by-elections
Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Chairman Lee Nak-yon bangs a gavel during the party's Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul, Monday. Following a poll among party members, the DPK decided to change its internal regulations in order to field candidates for next April's by-elections for the Seoul and Busan mayoral posts. / Yonhap
By Jung Da-min
The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is facing criticism for changing its own regulations in order to field candidates for the mayoral posts of the country’s two biggest cities, Seoul and Busan, in next April’s by-elections.
All opposition parties have denounced the ruling party for not keeping its promise to the people and only seeking to pursue its own political interests.
The revision was made to an article of the DPK's internal regulations which stated that the party will not field a candidate for a by-election that was triggered by a party member resigning over their own wrongdoing. According to the article, the DPK would be unable to participate in next year's by-elections for the Seoul and Busan mayoral posts, which have remained vacant following the suicide of Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon in July and resignation of Busan Mayor Oh Keo-don in April, both of whom were DPK members who faced sexual harassment allegations.
The ruling party decided to revise the article and held a vote among party members over the weekend. A total of 211,804 of its members, about 26 percent, participated in the vote and about 86 percent of them supported the revision, while 13 percent opposed it, the party said, Monday.
“We are fielding candidates for the by-elections (of the two mayoral posts) because we thought it was the responsibility of a political party to respect the voters' choices,” the DPK Chairman Lee Nak-yon said during a Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly, Monday.
“The decision doesn’t mean we are free from the DPK’s wrongdoing that has caused a vacuum in city affairs in Seoul and Busan which have led to the by-elections. We apologize to the people, including Seoul and Busan citizens. We also apologize to the victims of Park and Oh’s sexual harassment.”
The DPK’s move, however, received harsh criticism from the opposition bloc.
Main opposition People Power Party's emergency committee chief Kim Chong-in, center, speaks during a committee meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul, Monday. The phrase on the back wall reads, “You should not field a candidate,” a comment made by President Moon Jae-in when he was leading the New Politics Alliance for Democracy, a predecessor to Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) in 2015, to criticize the rival party's move to field a candidate for a by-election caused by its own member's wrongdoing. Yonhap
“The DPK has lost its honesty,” said Kim Chong-in, chief of the main opposition People Power Party's (PPP) emergency committee, during a committee meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul, Monday. “As the party's regulations are promises made to the people, overturning it with a vote among the party members will not be accepted by everyone as a right decision.”
The PPP especially highlighted the fact that the DPK's article in question was adopted by President Moon Jae-in in 2015 when he was leading the New Politics Alliance for Democracy, a predecessor to the DPK. At the time, a reelection was to be held for Goseong County of South Gyeongsang Province following the Election Law violation of a county chief-elect who was a member of the Saenuri Party, a predecessor to the PPP. Moon then said the Saenuri Party should not field a candidate because it was to blame for the reelection.
“President Moon should disclose his position as to whether he agrees with the revision,” Kim said. “President Moon’s refusal to disclose his position is an intended silence and will be recognized as a secondary abuse to victims of the alleged sexual harassment cases.”
Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the minor opposition People's Party, said the DPK should pay the total cost for the by-elections of the Seoul and Busan mayoral posts as it is responsible for the vacancies.
“The DPK has no excuse as the precious tax paid by the people will be used (for the by-elections) due to the party,” Ahn said during a party meeting at the National Assembly.
The liberal minor opposition Justice Party's floor leader Rep. Kang Eun-mi also said in a statement that the DPK's move was an irresponsible decision from those who gave full support for the birth of the supermajority ruling party, and those who would see tax payers' money being wasted.
“The DPK's shameless attitude in fielding candidates is irresponsible in that it will not take any time to reflect or take responsibility for the suffering of the victims,” she said.