Choi Min-hee and Lee Sung-yoon, candidates from the pro-Cheongrae faction of the Democratic Party, have directly countered the faction controversy raised by Kim Min-seok during the recent party primary.
On August 3, Choi appeared on KBS Radio's 'Intensive Current Affairs' and warned that the fallout from Kim's allegations would ultimately return to him like a boomerang. She stated, "I believe that Kim is engaging in factional politics that do not exist within the party," asserting that the controversy would come back to haunt him.
Lee also commented on the issue, saying, "There is no faction within the Democratic Party. It is a divisive language that seeks to drive a wedge between the president and the party," expressing disappointment over the situation. He emphasized that all members of the Democratic Party wish for the success of President Lee Jae-myung, adding, "Those who speak of factions are the real factions."
Previously, Kim had mentioned the faction controversy during the party's primary campaign, which began on August 1 in the Chungcheong region and continued in the Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam area. At a primary event in Chungnam, he criticized the ongoing factional struggle, stating, "The extension of the factional struggle is hell for the Democratic Party. We must close that hell's door," directly targeting Choi.
During the primary in Ulsan on August 2, Kim reiterated his stance, saying, "Inconsistency between words and actions is a form of factionalism, and failing to criticize when criticism is warranted is also factionalism," once again pointing out Choi's silence on author Yoo Si-min's 'expansion theory.'
* This article has been translated by AI.
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