Han Byung-do, acting leader and floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, said the party must emerge united from its leadership race, as the final public Supreme Council meeting was held ahead of the Aug. 17 national convention to elect the next leadership.
"This convention is unfolding with more heat and passion than any before," Han said at the council meeting held at the National Assembly on Friday. "The energy of competition must be channeled into the force of unity, and each candidate's vision must be gathered as an asset of the Democratic Party — so that we become one Democratic Party, a stronger Democratic Party, and run forward again with full force for the success of the Lee Jae-myung government and a better life for the people."
Han also reflected on his tenure as acting leader, which began June 25. "I said my first mission would be to bring together public sentiment and unite the party," he said, adding that he had completed the second-half National Assembly committee formation and pushed through an amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act, which he described as "the final piece of the puzzle in prosecutorial reform."
Supreme Council member Hwang Myung-seon noted it had been nearly a year since she took on the role. "It has been almost a year since I took on this heavy responsibility, following Kim Min-seok, who moved to the prime minister's post last summer," she said, urging the incoming leadership to build a stronger, winning Democratic Party on the foundation of party member sovereignty.
Council member Kang Deuk-gu said the current leadership was stepping down from its responsibilities. "I trust that Acting Leader Han and the newly elected leadership will faithfully serve the will of party members and the people, and lead the Democratic Party steadily," he said.
Council member Park Ji-won said he would remain in the party even after leaving the leadership. "I said that even as the leadership changes, party members always stay and protect the party," he said. "I, too, am stepping down from the leadership, but I will remain on the ship called the Democratic Party as a member and keep rowing from where I stand."
Council member Park Gyu-hwan raised concerns about internal divisions. "Many party members have at times been disappointed and worried by the language of division and exclusion that seems to permeate our party — some even doubt whether the Democratic Party has lost its way, and some are in despair," he said. "The party leadership, as well as every organization and official within the party, must respond seriously to this grave and urgent question from our members."
The public Supreme Council meeting was the first in about 10 days, having last convened Aug. 5. It had been suspended after public exchanges at council meetings took on the character of factional proxy battles ahead of the convention. The Democratic Party typically holds Supreme Council meetings chaired by the party leader on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and floor strategy and policy coordination meetings chaired by the floor leader on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Asked why no convention-related remarks were made at Friday's public meeting, chief spokesperson Kang Jun-hyeon said there had been no formal gentlemen's agreement, but added: "I understand that Acting Leader Han likely suggested something along the lines of, 'Since the convention is just around the corner, how about we do it this way.'"
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