A senior official from the Democratic Party of Korea, Kang Deuk-gu, openly questioned Representative Jung Chung-rae on the 12th, saying, "The public and party supporters remain constant, yet leadership within the party is temporary."
A day earlier, Jung said, "People are timeless, yet governments have fleeting existence," leading to rumors that he was subtly criticizing the Lee Jae Myung administration. Kang's comment seemed to respond to this situation.
On that day, the Democratic Party convened a Supreme Council meeting at the Kim Dae-jung Convention Center in Gwangju, located in South Jeolla Province. Throughout the gathering, Kang stated, "My emotions were deeply moved after visiting the May 18th National Cemetery and then coming here. The public and party members will always remain, yet party leadership is temporary. We should never lose sight of this truth."
Member of the Supreme Council Hwang Myeong-seon said, "Numerous legislators voiced disapproval towards the leadership at yesterday's full assembly. There must be responsibility taken. Several people refer to the leadership as disgraceful," and added, "I won't campaign for a new election. I won't pursue an additional term."
Member of the Supreme Council Moon Jeong-bok cautioned that negative comments about Jung shouldn’t turn into "a sound of separation." He stated, "It is undemocratic to use election outcomes to shake up the party or try to control its path before the decisions made by party members. As we get closer to the national convention, we need to be more careful. We cannot take each other's oars while in the same boat."
During his initial comments that day, Jung showed eagerness about the results of President Lee Jae Myung's international visit. He stated, "I back President Lee Jae Myung, who is vigorously promoting the nation's interests at the forefront," and continued, "The achievements of the Lee Jae Myung administration represent the triumph of democracy and the proper continuation and growth of the May 18th legacy. We will strive to guarantee the success of the Lee Jae Myung administration."