Democratic Party Supreme Council candidates exchange harsh words in a televised debate

At a televised debate held on the 3rd at the OBS studio in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, candidates for the Supreme Council of the Democratic Party of Korea traded sharp barbs at one another, using expressions such as “selfserving politics,” “Ilbe culture,” and “chameleon.” During the debate, differing interpretations emerged over partygovernment cooperation, remarks made at the national convention, and the atmosphere of the joint campaign speeches, and clashes continued between candidates from the proMyung and proChung factions. One candidate criticized the opposing camp’s remarks for undermining partygovernment cooperation, while the other candidates countered that it was selfserving politics. Another point of contention was the appropriateness of the phrase “Ilbe culture,” which led to further verbal sparring among the candidates. Some candidates pointed out that certain remarks and actions had fueled intraparty conflict, and voices also emerged demanding explanations or calling for apologies. At the debate that day, accusations of skipping the vote on lifting martial law, the reasons for declining approval ratings among young voters, and the factual basis of past remarks were also brought up, leading to continued exchanges between the candidates. As the Democratic Party of Korea’s Supreme Council election approaches, tensions between party factions appear to be rising.