The civic group, the Committee for the Welfare of the Common People, announced on the 24th that it has filed a complaint with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency against Chung Chen-rae, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea. The complaint seeks severe punishment for Rep. Chung on charges of abuse of power, instigation, and violation of the Public Official Election Act, should the alleged collusion with Jung Myung-seok, the cult leader of JMS (Christian Gospel Mission), be proven true through investigation.

This comes amidst public suspicion that just as the special prosecutor appointed by the Democratic Party has used coercive investigative methods, such as searches and seizures, to investigate alleged collusion between the religious community, including the Unification Church, and the People Power Party's leadership election, the Democratic Party and JMS should also be investigated impartially. Therefore, the results of the future investigation are drawing attention.

The Committee argued, "The reasonable doubt concerning the collusive relationship between the accused, Chung Chen-rae, the leader of the Democratic Party, and Jung Myung-seok of JMS is not merely a matter of a politician and a religious figure, but rather the association of a party leader with a criminal who has caused social chaos due to sexual misconduct allegations." They further stated that they submitted the complaint to the police on the 23rd, arguing that "this case raises reasonable doubts to the extent that a search and seizure of the Democratic Party's membership registry should be considered during the investigation."

They added, "The alleged collusion between JMS's Jung Myung-seok and Rep. Chung Chen-rae, which defies common sense and was caused by the irresponsible and thoughtless behavior of the accused, risks exacerbating another social disruption." They expressed concern that "if even the complainants overlook this, common sense, law, and principles that support society could be shaken to their core, leading to rampant shortcuts driven by power rather than fairness and justice, and even the collapse of social balance. This could erode trust in liberal democracy and the rule of law, prolonging the people's sense of shame not only for the party's existence but also for its values."

Kim Soon-hwan, the Secretary-General of the Committee and the legal representative for the complaint, emphasized, "A swift and thorough investigation that reveals the criminal facts, followed by strict application of the zero-tolerance principle regardless of one's position or status, is the only path that aligns with public sentiment."

Editorial Department