Photo Manipulation Controversy Over 'Shincheonji Ties' Deepens Mudslinging in Party Convention

[Anchor]

With major battlegrounds like Honam, Seoul, and Gyeonggi Province still ahead, the Democratic Party's national convention is becoming increasingly heated. A fresh battle has erupted over a photograph featuring President Lee Jae-myung, party leadership candidate Jung Cheong-rae, and the head of an organization linked to suspected ties with Shincheonji.

Reporter Park Jae-yeon has the details.

[Reporter]

On June 23, a pro-Jung Cheong-rae YouTube broadcast.

A photo from 2024 showing Lee Hee-ja, head of the Korean Geunwoo Association—which has faced suspicions of being a "Shincheonji-affiliated organization"—together with then-Democratic Party leader and current President Lee Jae-myung, was made public.

This came after some party members argued that a 2019 photo of Lee Hee-ja and party leadership candidate Jung Cheong-rae served as grounds for suspicions regarding Jung's alleged ties to Shincheonji, prompting a counterattack using a different photo.

[Lee Ji-eun / Former Democratic Party Spokesperson (June 23, YouTube channel 'Park Si-young TV'): If that single group photo with Lee Hee-ja is supposed to be the basis for claiming Jung Cheong-rae and Shincheonji are involved, then what about this photo as well...?]

However, it was belatedly revealed that candidate Jung was also present in the original version of the photo.

Former Democratic Party Spokesperson Lee Ji-eun, a pro-Jung faction figure, stated, "I simply introduced a social media post written by someone else, and I am sorry for unintentionally causing concern for the President," as internal friction within the Democratic Party escalated.

From the pro-Lee Jae-myung faction, Supreme Council candidate Kim Yong launched a fierce attack, stating, "They displayed a manipulated photo on screen to frame and slander the President by linking him to Shincheonji," demanding a "bowed head in apology." Party leadership candidate Kim Min-seok also joined the fray.

[Kim Min-seok / Democratic Party Leadership Candidate: Isn't it in line with common sense and courtesy to at least sort out matters related to the President first?]

In response, pro-Jung Supreme Council candidate Han Min-soo countered that the core issue is not whether the "photo was cropped," but rather that candidate Kim, who raised the allegations of Shincheonji's involvement, has failed to present any evidence.

The leadership race remains a tight contest between candidate Kim and candidate Jung, with upcoming primary voter balloting in Honam this Saturday and in Seoul and Gyeonggi on Sunday serving as crucial turning points.

In the Supreme Council race, which selects five out of eight candidates, attention is focused on the battle for the fifth-place spot between pro-Lee candidate Kim Yong and pro-Jung candidate Lee Sung-yoon.

(Photo courtesy of Yonhap News / Video by Oh Young-chun and Kim Yong-woo | Video Editing by Oh Young-taek | Design by Kim Ye-ji)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.