The Democratic Party of Korea is revamping its internal committee focused on addressing politically motivated prosecutions in response to concerns over rival factions gaining power.
The Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) has decided to expand its internal committee known as the 'Special Committee for Response to Politically Motivated Prosecutions' into the 'Special Committee for Investigation into the Truth of the Politically Motivated Prosecutions and Promotion of Dismissal of Cases Against President Yoon Suk-yeol.' This move comes amid criticism from the opposition party, People Power Party (PPP), which questioned whether the DPK's main goal is merely to protect President Lee Jae-myung. This internal restructuring appears to reflect the DPK leadership's anxiety over rival factions potentially capitalizing on judicial issues surrounding President Yoon, with party members feeling the need to establish an official organizational response.
During a supreme council meeting on the 25th, DPK leader Jung Chung-rae announced the formation of the new committee, which will be chaired by floor leader Han Byeong-do. This initiative can be interpreted as a strategic measure to counteract the rising influence of the so-called 'Prosecution Dismissal Members' (公取모), which is an assembly of lawmakers pushing for the dismissal of charges against President Yoon. The number of participants in this lawmakers' group has surged, prompting calls from within the DPK to absorb it as part of the official party structure, indicating a concern about factionalism taking root in the party.
However, there is a divergence among party members regarding the future of the Prosecution Dismissal Members group. Leaders who initially pushed for its formation, such as Lee Geon-tae and Park Sung-jun, have communicated their intent to keep the group active despite the establishment of the new committee. Meanwhile, several members who participated in the group have expressed intentions to withdraw now that an official committee has been formed, with member Kim Gi-pyo questioning the necessity of maintaining a separate faction when an official capacity is more effective for achieving their goals. This internal conflict reflects the ongoing struggles within the DPK as it seeks to unify against external criticism while managing its internal dynamics and avoiding factional divides.
