Dual Membership Controversy Flares Ahead of Democratic Party Convention

The Democratic Party faces a growing controversy over dual party membership as its August 17 convention approaches. The debate intensified after Kim Min-seok, a candidate for party leader, accused rivals of forming a "secret alliance" and "divisive" tactics. His remarks followed a public revelation that a youth leader of the Shincheonji religious group admitted to being a member of both the ruling People Power Party and the Democratic Party. This individual encouraged fellow members to join both parties, stating they were already registered in both.

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The essence of this convention is to break the secret alliance of the anti-Lee, divisive, and Shincheonji factions.

South Korean law strictly prohibits individuals from belonging to more than one political party, with violations punishable by up to a year in prison or a fine of 1 million won. The Constitutional Court has previously cited the potential for "disruptive actions" like malicious interference in other parties' primaries or decision-making processes as reasons for this prohibition. However, the practical enforcement of this law is hampered by the absence of a legal framework enabling parties or election commissions to verify a member's dual registration status.

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If you can join, join not only the People Power Party but also the Democratic Party. I am already registered in both the People Power Party and the Democratic Party.

Attempts to address this issue have stalled in the past. A 2019 proposal to allow election commissions to quarterly check for dual memberships and for parties to request such checks was automatically shelved when parties resisted providing their member lists. More recently, ahead of the 2023 general election, a "People Power Party occupation movement" led by pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon brought the issue to the forefront again. Concerns arose that members of far-right parties, such as the Freedom Unification Party, might have joined the People Power Party, but verifying their dual membership proved impossible.

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Allowing multiple memberships makes it difficult to prevent side effects such as 'disruptive actions' that maliciously interfere with other parties' primaries or decision-making processes.

In response to the escalating dual membership controversy, Han Byung-do, the interim leader of the Democratic Party, proposed on July 29 that relevant government bodies, the election commission, and political parties collaborate on improving the system and establishing transparent verification processes after the party convention concludes. This time, a solution is expected to be found.

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We propose that after the Democratic Party convention ends, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the Election Commission, and all political parties sit down together to discuss institutional improvement and the establishment of a transparent system.