Democratic Party's final convention debate features fierce clashes

The Democratic Party held its final televised debate on August 13, just four days before its national convention, marked by intense clashes among candidates. The debate, hosted by Ha Eo-young of The Hankyoreh's political team, featured political commentator Park Young-sik and lawyer Shin In-gyu.

A central theme of the debate was the "traitor theory," which has dominated discussions leading up to the convention. Candidates engaged in sharp criticism of each other, particularly in light of the president's declining approval ratings, which have reportedly fallen below those of the ruling party. This political climate intensified the exchanges, with candidates like Song, Jeong, and Kim involved in heated back-and-forth arguments.

The upcoming Supreme Council election also became a focal point, with discussions around "warfare" and the contentious "cartel blocking" controversy. Party chapter chairmen who are not actively engaged in conflict face potential replacement, according to statements made by Jang Dong-hyuk, who is seeking re-election. This suggests a potential shake-up within the party's local leadership.

Other notable discussions included remarks by Jung Cheong-rae, who expressed confidence that his election would boost President Lee's approval ratings back into the 60% range. Meanwhile, Kim Min-seok argued for the principle of "nullifying fabricated indictments" and stated that the government could not succeed using the methods of the past year. The debate also touched upon media relations, with the OhmyNews union and press association demanding an apology from Choi Min-hee for allegedly interfering with and monitoring media coverage.