[Editorial] Ruling party papers over party-presidential office conflict, should focus on governance and policy competition

President Lee Jae-myung returned to South Korea on June 18th after attending the G7 summit and concluding his European tour. At Seoul Airport, he was greeted by Democratic Party leader Jeong Cheong-rae, along with Prime Minister Kim Min-seok and Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik. Jeong offered a deep bow to President Lee, who responded with a brief handshake and a "well done."

This interaction occurred amidst heightened political tensions between the President and the party leader. Lee had notably excluded Jeong from his departure send-off and posted SNS messages perceived as critical of Jeong, fueling speculation about Lee's disapproval ahead of the party's August convention. Jeong, in turn, had made public remarks such as "The people are eternal, and the regime is short-lived," seemingly positioning himself against the President. Internal party conflicts also escalated, with non-aligned factions pressuring Jeong to resign and Jeong's supporters targeting Prime Minister Kim.

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The people are eternal, and the regime is short-lived.

The apparent reconciliation at the airport, with the presidential office inviting Jeong and Jeong offering praise for the President's "global political leadership," suggests the internal party-presidential office conflict has temporarily moved beneath the surface. This comes after the Democratic Party's somewhat disappointing performance in the recent 6.3 local elections, which were described as only a "half-victory." Furthermore, the ongoing dispute over ballot shortages at the Seoul Olympic Park counting center, which has persisted for over two weeks, continues to create political tension.

The article urges the ruling party to reflect on the local election results and swiftly resolve the ballot shortage issue. It emphasizes that the ruling party should not unsettle the public by exposing internal conflicts. While competition for party leadership is natural, the focus should be on debating values, visions, and policies for the party and the nation's development, such as solutions for polarization and youth unemployment. The current infighting, however, appears dominated by competition over securing nomination rights for the 2028 general elections. The piece concludes by questioning whether the Democratic Party is fulfilling its responsibility as a ruling party to govern and manage national affairs.

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You did well.