Pro-Lee faction criticizes Democratic Party leadership over election losses

A prominent non-elected faction supporting Lee Jae-myung has sharply criticized the Democratic Party's leadership, urging introspection following recent local election defeats. The group, known as the Democratic Party National Innovation Council, stated that viewing the election outcomes as a victory is a misreading of public sentiment.

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The party leadership should not just emphasize the number of won areas, but first reflect on why we lost in Seoul, why we failed to defend Busan Buk-gap, and why we lost Pyeongtaek-eul.

The faction highlighted significant losses, including the Seoul mayoral race, which they described as a particularly painful result in the first national election since the establishment of the Lee Jae-myung government. They also pointed to the loss of the party's sole parliamentary seat in Busan's Buk-gap district and the failure to secure Pyeongtaek-eul in Gyeonggi Province, attributing the latter to vote dilution among progressive and reformist supporters amid competition with the Cho Kuk Innovation Party.

"The party leadership should not just emphasize the number of won areas, but first reflect on why we lost in Seoul, why we failed to defend Busan Buk-gap, and why we lost Pyeongtaek-eul," the council stated. They also acknowledged criticisms that central decision-making overshadowed on-the-ground efforts during the campaign and that party members' voices were not sufficiently heard during the nomination process.

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The victory celebration should be preceded by introspection.

The council characterized the election as only half a success, warning that ignoring the reasons for defeat could turn this partial success into a future loss. They called for self-innovation rather than self-congratulation, demanding deep reflection and responsible change from the party leadership. This contrasts with the assessment of Democratic Party leader Chung Sye-kyun, who had previously described the elections as a significant victory for the party nationwide.

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If we fail to face the causes of defeat, this election's half-success could turn into the next election's half-defeat.