Chung Sye-kyun, leader of the Democratic Party, speaks at a Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul on the 21st. Yonhap News

Internal controversy is escalating within the Democratic Party on the 22nd over the proposed amendment to the party constitution and regulations, often referred to as the 'one-person-one-vote system,' which party leader Chung Sye-kyun is pushing to usher in an era of party member sovereignty.

This comes after Chung Sye-kyun's side openly and point-by-point refuted Supreme Council member Lee Un-ju's assertion that the amendment was being hastily pushed through, demonstrating his resolve to confront the issue head-on. However, even pro-Lee Myung-bak factions have joined the criticism.

In a Facebook post, Chief Spokesperson Park Soo-hyun stated that Supreme Council member Lee Un-ju's claim from the previous day, alleging that "a considerable number of Supreme Council members expressed concerns about the amendment and the agenda was passed despite the absence of some Supreme Council members," was a "misperception contrary to the facts."

He explained, "Supreme Council members Lee Un-ju, Han Jun-ho, and Hwang Myung-sun expressed their opinions that 'time for deliberation is needed' while proposing measures for the delegate system and strategic area supplementation. Party leader Chung listened to these opinions and directed the formation of a task force (TF) for 'redefining the role of delegates.'"

He further emphasized, "Although Supreme Council member Han left with a 'dissenting' opinion and left the meeting, and Supreme Council member Lee did not participate in the vote, party leader Chung decided it would be appropriate to record it as a 'dissent.' Therefore, it was ultimately passed with a vote of 7 in favor and 2 against."

He stressed that the amendment to the party constitution and regulations has been a key theme throughout the August 2 National Convention, an agreement among party members, and a pledge by the party leader.

Earlier, on the 17th, party leader Chung officially announced the amendment to the one-person-one-vote system, aiming to usher in an era of party member sovereignty, and conducted a public opinion survey targeting all party members.

Following the survey, in which 86.8% approved the 'one-person-one-vote system' amendment, Chung evaluated it as an "irresistible trend" and resolved to push for the amendment to the party constitution and regulations at the Supreme Council meeting the previous day.

In response, Supreme Council member Lee, in a Facebook post the previous day, expressed "regret over the forceful and hasty or impromptu push despite a considerable number of Supreme Council members, nearly a majority, expressing concerns and desiring deliberation," and requested reconsideration. He also criticized the nationwide party member survey, stating that only 16.8% of eligible voters participated, and calling it "absurd to push the amendment, calling it 'overwhelmingly affirmative.'"

The hardline pro-Lee Myung-bak faction group, the Democratic Party National Innovation Council, also issued a statement on the same day titled 'What Party Members Want is True Party Member Sovereignty,' criticizing the leadership's self-congratulatory remarks about "overwhelming affirmation" as "embarrassing," noting that "an overwhelming majority of 83.19% of rights-holding members did not participate in the opinion poll."

They stated that "party members' concerns about the actions of the Chung Sye-kyun leadership are growing," and regarding the amendment, they said, "While the intention to have both delegates and party members vote with one-person-one-vote is good, there are 'self-deprecating' voices from party members echoing like a flood, questioning 'Do we have to do it this way?' in terms of opinion gathering methods, procedural legitimacy, and timing."

They also raised issues such as the participation criteria for the party member opinion poll and questioned, "Did it have to be during President Lee Myung-bak's overseas trip to the G20?"

The public criticism from Supreme Council member Lee and the Innovation Council comes amid suggestions from some within the party that this amendment is an attempt by party leader Chung Sye-kyun to secure re-election.

Some within the party harbor suspicions that party leader Chung is engaging in self-serving politics, creating so-called 'Myung-Chung conflict' while President Lee should be strongly leading state affairs.

Additionally, there are concerns within the party that the introduction of the 'one-person-one-vote system' would effectively nullify the delegate system, potentially leading to an overrepresentation of opinions from the Honam region, which has a significantly larger party member base, and supporters of a specific political leaning.

The Democratic Party plans to hold its Party Affairs Committee meeting on the 24th and the Central Committee meeting on the 28th to pass the proposed amendments to the party constitution and regulations.

However, there are also forecasts that the approval process may face difficulties if the noise from within and outside the party grows louder.

In this regard, Congressman Kim Won-yi conveyed through Facebook that party leader Chung, during a special lecture at Korea National University of Energy in Naju, Jeonnam, emphasized, "The party must respond positively as the president is doing well," and "Let's open an era of party member sovereignty and win local elections."

Yonhap News