Cho Kuk, the leader of the Justice Party, has made an urgent appeal to the Democratic Party, stating that if they do not resolve their official stance on the merger by February 13, there will be no opportunity for the merger to take place. At a press conference held in the National Assembly, Cho expressed the grave disappointment among the public and party members and emphasized the urgency for the Democratic Party to clarify its direction. He pressed for a decision on whether the party would pursue a separate combined election strategy or remain in competition of values and visions within a single party framework.

Furthermore, Cho raised specific concerns regarding the Democratic Party's adherence to the vision of a 'Social Rights Advanced Nation' and requested clarity on its commitment to political reforms agreed upon prior to the presidential elections. He referred to criticisms from members of the ruling party, who labeled the proposed vision as 'communist,' urging the Democratic Party to distance itself from such rhetoric if it is not aligned with those views. Cho underscored the need for a serious commitment to reform proposals previously introduced, such as the electoral reform suggested by Lee Jae-myung, the mayor of Seongnam, in 2018.

In conclusion, Cho proposed a meeting with Democratic Party leader Jung Cheong-rae to discuss the demands he laid out. He emphasized that the negative discourse surrounding the Justice Party within the Democratic Party has transformed into a power struggle, hindering productive dialogue about policies and visions. Cho firmly requested that the Justice Party not be used as a pawn in internal conflicts and that constructive engagement be prioritized over personal and factional disputes within the legislature.