Proponents within the Democratic Party's pro-Myeong faction are defending Han Chan-sik, appointed as the chief civil affairs officer by President Lee Jae-myung, against criticism from some ruling party members regarding his past investigations during the Moon Jae-in administration. They describe him as the "ideal candidate for prosecutorial reform." Additionally, they are discussing the potential candidacy of Jeong Cheong-rae for the upcoming party convention in August.
Lee Geon-tae, a prominent member of the pro-Myeong faction, emphasized on YTN Radio's "Jang Seong-cheol's News Myung-dang" on June 23 that Han is a pragmatic prosecutor who has not shown any political bias, indicating that he is well-suited for prosecutorial reform.
In response to objections from figures like Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung and lawmakers Lee Seong-yoon and Ko Min-jeong regarding Han's appointment due to his history with the Moon administration, Lee stated, "It is inappropriate for the ruling party to comment on appointments of presidential aides," while asserting that Han was appointed as a key prosecutor in the Seoul metropolitan area during the Moon administration.
Another pro-Myeong member, Kim Young-ho, remarked that Han's appointment reflects President Lee's commitment to prosecutorial reform. Speaking on SBS Radio's "Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show," Kim noted that there seems to be resentment from the pro-Moon faction towards Han, who has experience investigating the Environment Ministry's blacklist. He argued, "All prosecutors have investigative experience. If we consider that, we wouldn't be able to appoint anyone with a prosecutorial background."
He added, "The president, who has faced significant pressure from the prosecution, is bringing in someone from that background to tackle prosecutorial reform, which I believe is his intention."
In addition, they noted that Jeong Cheong-rae has been increasing his mentions of the complete abolition of supplementary investigative rights and the one-person, one-vote system in preparation for his candidacy for the party leadership.
Lee stated, "Jeong is appealing to his support base. It seems to be a strategic move ahead of his candidacy." He expressed a high likelihood of Jeong running for the party leadership.
Kim voiced concerns that if Jeong enters the race, the upcoming convention could lead to intense competition and potential divisions within the party, stating, "The next leadership must have the ability to unify the Democratic Party."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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