Factional infighting puts DPK chief in leadership crisis

Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Chairman Kim Min-seok finds himself in the midst of a leadership crisis less than three months after assuming the position. The conflict intensifies as factions loyal to the party’s former leader engage in factional infighting with Kim, leading to boycotts of meetings and harsh criticism of his leadership.

This conflict adds to a series of disputes that have plagued Kim’s tenure, including a controversy over his claim of a “secret alliance” between a non-mainstream religious sect and Jung Chung-rae, the former leader, as well as his investigation of a loyalist of Jung and disagreements over crucial issues such as the impeachment of the chief justice and property tax reform.

On Friday, Reps. Choi Min-hee, Han Min-soo, and Lee Seong-yun, all Supreme Council members and staunch supporters of Jung, boycotted a meeting in protest against Kim’s decision to have the party’s ethics committee investigate Choi. Instead, they convened a press conference to advocate for the party’s reform, vehemently criticizing Kim’s leadership. The tension between Kim and Jung escalated following a bitterly contested party leadership race in the past.