Anna Jiwon Park has been covering the politics at The Korea Times since the summer of 2024, when she joined the press pool for the Office of the President in Korea. Prior to that, she spent about five years reporting extensively on financial markets, regulatory authorities and the financial industry. She joined The Korea Times in 2019 after spending eight years as a broadcast journalist at Arirang TV, Korea’s leading global broadcaster, covering politics, defense and culture.
DPK leader warns opposition of party dissolution in first Assembly address
Democratic Party of Korea leader Jung Chung-rae delivers a speech at the plenary session of the National Assembly in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap
By Anna J. Park
Warning comes a day after promise for bipartisan cooperation
Rep. Jung Chung-rae, leader of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), delivered his first address at the National Assembly since becoming the party’s chief negotiator. In his speech, he called for an end to what has been dubbed the “internal rebellion” — a reference to the political turmoil sparked by former President Yoon Suk Yeol ’s surprise declaration of martial law. He also advocated for reforms of the prosecution, judiciary and media.
Jung’s remarks came a day after he met with President Lee Jae Myung and main opposition People Power Party (PPP) leader Jang Dong-hyeok, raising hopes for a new era of bipartisan cooperation. However, in his speech, Jung maintained a hard-line stance toward the PPP, even mentioning the possibility of filing a constitutional petition to dissolve the nation's largest conservative party.
He denounced Yoon’s Dec. 3 declaration of martial law as “the result of privatizing power and undermining the Constitution.” Addressing the PPP, he framed calls to root out an internal rebellion — directed at Yoon — as “defending the Constitution rather than engaging in political rivalry.”
“Members of the People Power Party, please listen carefully to what I have to say. We are calling for the removal of forces that violated constitutional command of the armed forces, betrayed the people and led citizens into peril,” Jung stressed. “Eradicating internal rebellion is about breaking ties with a past that still haunts us. It is our generational duty, our mission and the spirit of our era.”
Democratic Party of Korea leader Jung Chung-rae delivers a speech as the ruling party's chief negotiator at the plenary session of the National Assembly in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap
Jung reiterated that failing to break ties with rebellious elements could put the party at risk of dissolution by the Constitutional Court, echoing previous warnings.
The DPK leader called for the swift passage of three bills to investigate insurrection, alleged corruption involving former first lady Kim Keon Hee and the death of a Marine killed during a flood-relief operation, while pressing for a special court to handle such cases. Despite his meeting with the opposition mediated by the president the day before, Jung showed no signs of softening his confrontational stance.
Jung argued that ending the prosecution’s monopoly on power was essential, promising that the public would learn of the office’s abolition during the Chuseok holiday in October.
“The root of prosecutorial corruption lies in the monopoly of investigation and prosecution powers. We will separate these functions," Jung said.
The proposal to dismantle the prosecution's monopoly on investigation and indictment is a major reform aimed at curbing the misuse of authority, reflecting a significant political effort to realign the nation's justice system.
He also criticized the judiciary and media for unchecked power. Regarding the judiciary, he proposed expanding the number of Supreme Court justices, introducing judicial evaluations and reforming pre-search warrant laws to bolster public trust. In the media sector, he pledged to advance legislation to combat misinformation and strengthen arbitration and victim-relief mechanisms.
People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok, left, speaks during a meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap
Jung’s combative rhetoric disappointed the opposition, which had hoped for space to build cooperative relations with the ruling party. The PPP leader sharply criticized the speech, saying it undercut the conciliatory tone of the previous day’s meeting with the president.
“Yesterday, President Lee asked DPK leader Jung to make concessions since the ruling party holds more power, but his speech only repeated calls to eliminate the PPP,” Jang told reporters Tuesday.
“We sought measures to improve youth employment and received positive feedback from the president, but Jung’s speech offered neither hope nor solutions for the youth or the future. It is time to end politics that reverse yesterday’s promises overnight.”