Chung Cheong-rae: 'Failure to Prove Shincheonji Claims Makes It a False Report... Comparable to an Arsonist'

Democratic Party leadership candidate Chung Cheong-rae criticized rival candidate Kim Min-seok's "Shincheonji party convention intervention allegations" today (the 6th), stating, "If he cannot provide evidence, it is a false report."

Candidate Chung made the remarks in a post on his Facebook page today, writing, "A false report makes someone as bad as an arsonist."

Chung also said, "He protests against the Shincheonji allegations by asking, 'Is reporting a fire considered being an arsonist?' But (making a false report) causes people to panic, evacuate, and fire trucks to be dispatched in vain..." adding, "Let's not elect a bad person."

This appears to be an indirect pushback against remarks made by candidate Kim during a party member meeting in North Chungcheong Province on June 27, where Kim said, "Calling a warning against Shincheonji's intervention an act harming the party that drives it toward becoming an unconstitutional party is sophistry," and asked, "Is shouting 'beware of fire' considered arson?"

Referring to the second TV debate held the previous day, Chung pointed out, "Candidate Kim failed to provide evidence for the Shincheonji (allegations)," adding, "He was ignorant and incompetent regarding the Gwangju Southwest Semiconductor Cluster, continued to ride on the president's coat tails, and did not even apologize for single-item leveraged ETFs."

He further argued, "There was no explanation or apology for betrayal," describing Kim as "someone who cannot be trusted and cannot be entrusted with the job."

Chung wrote, "The game is over," adding, "Those who kept loyalty will keep it again, and those who betrayed once will betray again."

He also added, "People do not change," and "In the end, Chung Cheong-rae will keep his loyalty, and the party members will protect Chung Cheong-rae."

During the debate the previous day, Chung strongly criticized candidate Kim for leaving the party during the 2002 presidential election to advocate for a single candidacy between Roh Moo-hyun and Chung Mong-joon.

At the time of the debate, Chung asked Kim, "Your actions in 2002 still remain a source of pain," and questioned, "Will forcing your way back home after running away for 18 years and demanding the family property deeds bring prosperity or ruin to the household?"

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.