Why openly lie when the video is still available? It’s not as if they have the intelligence of a goldfish.
Four days prior to the Democratic Party of Korea’s convention on August 17, on the 13th, Song Young-gil, a contender for the party leadership, made these comments towards his opponent, Jung Chung-rae. During a CBS Radio broadcast that day, Song asserted that Jung had first claimed the party, government, and presidential office had worked together to evaluate the results of the June 3 local elections as a win, but later altered his statement to say “coordination between the party and the presidential office.” Song then criticized Jung, stating, “If you’re going to lie, you need to be smart,” suggesting that Jung couldn’t even recall his previous statements.
Critics observe that the rivalry among the party’s leadership candidates, who had their last TV debate the day before, has moved from discussing policies and future plans to brief, attention-grabbing negative remarks focusing on opponents’ verbal mistakes, past histories, and connections with President Lee Jae Myung. The discussions that started during the TV debates carried on through social media and radio after the debates concluded. Jung posted a video of his intense argument with Song on Facebook the previous night, captioning it, “A big man…,” and kept challenging Kim Min-seok over certain phrases.
◆ “Goldfish IQ” versus “A big man”…Debates continue even after the arguments have concluded
Song intensified his attacks on Jung that day. He described Jung’s responses as “slipping away like a loach” and stated, “He doesn’t even have the ability to lie.” Last month, Song criticized Jung for constantly highlighting his connection with President Lee, labeling it “stalker-like behavior toward President Lee Jae Myung.” On this day, Song also condemned Jung for not adequately addressing President Lee’s top state affairs, calling it “a serious issue and a shameful matter.”
Jung did not retreat. During an SBS TV debate on the 12th, when Song brought up a discussion between President Lee and himself, Jung argued that it was improper to discuss private conversations with the president in public. After Song clarified his position, Jung replied, “A respected individual shouldn’t speak so carelessly.” Following the debate, Jung posted a video on his Facebook titled “Young-gil Hyung Being Reprimanded for Acting Arrogant.”
Conflict between Jung and Kim escalated over one word. When Kim commended Jung’s one-year term as party leader using the term “치하” (congratulations), Jung criticized it as “a phrase used by superiors to subordinates,” calling it “disrespectful.” Kim responded, “You must have studied a Japanese dictionary,” stating that the term can be used among equals in Korean. Jung later shared a dictionary search on Facebook directed at Kim.
The candidates also participated in “quiz-style” questions to assess each other’s knowledge of policies. After Song questioned Jung about President Lee’s primary state affairs task during a previous debate, Jung responded by asking Song about task number 50 in the final debate. Jung also inquired about the portion of the housing supply commitment allocated to LH, and Kim objected, saying, “The discussion among the three shouldn’t turn into a quiz.”
◆ “Destroyed the presidential election” “Trauma of betrayal”… Even issues from 20 years ago come back to light
During the closing stages of the convention, not only present-day issues but also political decisions made more than two decades ago and accountability for previous presidential election losses have emerged as points of contention.
During the last television debate, Kim referenced Jung’s 2021 conflict with the Buddhist community, where he likened temple entrance fees to a “toll” and described temples as “Bongi Kim Sun-dal.” Kim claimed this situation negatively impacted the 2022 presidential election and questioned why Jung didn’t offer a sincere apology then.
Jung quickly responded by pointing to Kim’s 2002 exit from the Democratic Party in support of Chung Mong-joon. Jung told Kim, “It seems you’re experiencing betrayal trauma,” to which Kim replied by bringing up Jung’s previous Buddhist-related controversy, stating, “You ruined the presidential election.” As a result, a discussion on policy evolved into a confrontation regarding a party change that occurred 24 years ago and an election issue from four years prior.
During the convention, Jung’s main criticism of Kim has centered on “betrayal.” Jung referenced Kim’s exit in 2002, stating, “Once a betrayer, always a betrayer,” whereas Kim’s team described this as over-the-top labeling. Jung also likened Kim to “someone who left home 18 years ago and now claims ownership of the house.”
The dispute regarding the “Shincheonji election interference claims” has expanded into post-convention disciplinary matters. When Kim suggested the potential involvement of a religious group in the party’s primary elections, Jung referred to it as a “relevant act” and promised to initiate an ethics inquiry if he becomes the leader. Kim responded, “Is pointing out election interference considered a relevant act?” and questioned, “Are you attempting to lead the party with fear?” Jung has continued to insist that this matter should be addressed after the convention.
Disputes regarding election regulations saw the use of terms such as “coup” and “riot.” When certain candidates from the supreme council requested extra voting chances for members who had missed their opportunity, Jung referred to it as a “voting coup” and cautioned that altering the rules could lead to “riots.” Even within the supreme council race, phrases like “ilbe” (a far-right online group) and “bat” (a derogatory term for those seeking advantages) were used, escalating emotional tensions from the leadership contest to the entire leadership election.
◆ “Unity” in words… The party ended even public supreme council meetings
During their closing statements in the last television debate, all three candidates highlighted “unity.” Jung called for “loyalty” to the party, Song mentioned that the three candidates have “the same origins” and encouraged collaboration following the convention, while Kim promised to bring the party together after the convention.
Nevertheless, opponents claim the true party environment is not cohesive. Although Jung emphasizes solidarity, he has not abandoned his proposal to examine Kim concerning the Shincheonji matter. When questioned about potential divisions after the convention, Jung stated on the 10th, “Don’t mention that. I have never even thought about it.”
The leadership of the Democratic Party suspended public meetings of the supreme council this week, right before the convention. While the party states there were no public topics on the agenda, insiders view this as a move to avoid more revelations about disputes between supporters of Lee and those aligned with the government.
Persistent worries regarding the consequences following the convention remain within the party. Rep. Youn Kun-young recently characterized the convention as “not only intense but on the brink of exploding,” cautioning against “removing the pillars of the family house to gain an election.” Rep. Kim Young-jin also mentioned the party’s previous divisions, emphasizing that the convention should not reach such a point.
The committee responsible for organizing the Democratic Party’s convention announced in early July, prior to the event’s start, that it would take strong measures against excessive negativity, including the use of derogatory language. Nevertheless, as the election day drew near, the candidates’ attacks became more intense, focusing on brief phrases that convey “lies,” “betrayal,” and “incompetence” instead of discussing policies. A political expert remarked, “The emotional tension has reached a level where it’s difficult to view them as candidates from the same party. If the losing side isn’t supported after the 17th, the consequences following the convention could last for a long time. The new leader’s initial challenge won’t be winning elections but rather healing the party.”
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