Kim Min-seok ‘cryptically apologizes’ for Shincheonji controversy… Internal red-light reignites amid opposition from Chung Cheong-rae

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporters Choi Pyeong-cheon, Oh Gyu-jin, Choi Joo-seong, and Jeong Yeon-sol = On the 3rd, Kim Min-seok, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, apologized directly to lawmakers and took steps to resolve the issue regarding suspicions that Shincheonji members joined the party as a group, but the factional conflict within the party is still not resolved.

Former leader Jeong Cheong-rae, who was attacked over suspicions of Shincheonji during the party leadership primary at the August 17th national convention, is becoming more critical of leader Kim, and internal resentment appears to be reigniting.

Representative Kim said at a closed general meeting held at the National Assembly on this day, "As a result of the investigation, there was no evidence of a secret three-party alliance. I would like to express my deepest apologies to those who were unintentionally harmed," floor spokesperson Kim Seong-hoe told reporters after the general meeting.

It was reported that CEO Kim appeared to be in tears during his apology speech.

A lawmaker close to Representative Kim said in a phone call with Yonhap News, "Representative Kim wiped away his tears after finishing his remarks at the General Assembly," and "After the lawmakers finished, they also patted Representative Kim and comforted him."

In accordance with Representative Kim's 'will' to resolve the situation, the report on the results of the internal investigation by the 'Party Member Maintenance Task Force', which was originally scheduled at the general assembly on this day, was also canceled.

Spokesperson Kim explained, "We didn't even let the representative announce (the results) with the intention that it would be well-organized internally," and added, "TF leader Park Seon-won confirmed one thing that some YouTubers' claim that 'a large number of Shincheonji members have joined in some regions' is groundless."

There is an interpretation that the fact that Representative Kim directly apologized during the national convention for insisting that the anti-Myung (anti-Lee Jae-myung), separatist, and Shincheonji secret alliance should be broken was the result of a sense of crisis that internal conflict should not be increased any further.

The pro-Blue group has strongly criticized Representative Kim since the previous era, saying that the secret alliance claim was a black election campaign targeting former Representative Jeong.

When Representative Kim formed a 'Party Member Reorganization Task Force' (TF) immediately after winning the election and ordered an internal investigation into the suspicions of Shincheonji, he responded that if no clear evidence of a secret alliance was found, Representative Kim should be held responsible.

Former Representative Jeong, who heard Representative Kim's apology at the general meeting that day, also did not back down.

Former Representative Jeong met with reporters after the general meeting and criticized, "I hope that he will publicly apologize to the party members, rather than hiding in a closed meeting and saying sorry."

Former leader Jeong also posted on Facebook, saying, "Kim Min-seok's suspicion of Shincheonji has no basis in fact, but it ended up being a successful political operation," and urged, "I did something for which I should apologize, and I was elected as the party leader. If that's the case, cancel my membership for that act."

Even in response to Representative Kim's apology, the party faction and the pro-Blue faction expressed mixed voices.

Supreme Council member Yong-gi Yong-gi, Representative Kim's nominated member of the Supreme Youth Council, told reporters after the general meeting, "There was a current within the party asking why they kept trying to create problems by bringing up Shincheonji. The party leader must have had a clear intention of saying, 'Even if I get criticized, I shouldn't put a burden on the party.'"

The former Supreme Council member emphasized, “We made a decision in the form of a major apology in order to avoid putting pressure on the party.”

On the other hand, Han Min-soo, a member of the pro-Blue faction's Supreme Council, wrote on Facebook, "This is not an issue that will end with Representative Kim's apology at the general meeting. He will have to publicly apologize to his hurt party members and supporters and take corresponding responsibility for the false claims."

The factional conflict surrounding the suspicions of Shincheonji seems to be intensifying even further due to the theory of the merger of the Fatherland Reform Party.

Representative Kim publicly criticized former Representative Jeong, who proposed a merger date of January next year, and former Representative Jeong immediately protested.

Representative Kim appeared on the party's YouTube channel on this day and criticized former leader Jeong's suggestion of a time for merger, saying, "It was raised as a means of intra-party struggle rather than a well-intentioned integration, serious discussion process and effort."

In response, former representative Jeong responded in a post posted on Facebook, saying, "Do we have to look at the world with clouded eyes because existence defines consciousness? Is there a secret to victory other than 'unification of the four channels' and solidarity? I am not interested in intra-party struggle, and I am committed to winning through joint unity."