People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok speaks at a supreme council meeting at the National Assembly in Yeouido on Monday. [Newsis]
People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok speaks at a supreme council meeting at the National Assembly in Yeouido on Monday. [Newsis]

People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok laid out specific examples of what he described as a mutually protective relationship between the Democratic Party and the National Election Commission, arguing that the PPP — not the Democratic Party — must hold the authority to recommend a special prosecutor to investigate the election watchdog.

In a Facebook post Monday, Jang said the NEC had barred the phrase "livelihood collapse" from banners on the grounds that it evoked a specific party — the Democratic Party — while permitting the phrase "purging pro-Japanese collaborators," which is associated with the same party. He added that the Democratic Party had in turn passed legislation that could impose up to 10 years in prison for criticizing the NEC.

Jang also said the Democratic Party had led efforts to block a Board of Audit and Inspection probe into the NEC by citing the commission's status as a constitutional body, and had rushed to shield it during a nepotistic hiring scandal by framing criticism of then-NEC chief Roh Tae-ak as politically motivated. "Anyone can see this is a relationship between accomplices — Lee Jae Myung, the Democratic Party and the NEC are all in the same boat," he said.

Jang doubled down, saying the Democratic Party's inability to relinquish the right to recommend the special prosecutor was a direct consequence of that relationship. "That is why the PPP must be the one to make the recommendation," he said.

He added that investigating the NEC alone would not be enough. "We must dismantle the 'election cartel' that is the root of all this evil," he said.


husn7@heraldcorp.com