Third Apology Over 'Shincheonji' Claims Sparks Growing Backlash Over Handling

[Anchor]

Kim Min-seok, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, apologized for the third time today (November 6) over allegations he previously raised regarding the Shincheonji religious sect's interference in the party's national convention. While he proposed disclosing the findings of an internal party investigation to lawmakers for a week to quell the controversy, backlash has only intensified.

Reporter Han Sung-hee has the story.

[Reporter]

The Democratic Party's Supreme Council meeting opened with an apology from party leader Kim Min-seok.

[Kim Min-seok / Democratic Party Leader: "I would like to apologize once again to everyone who was hurt and to our party members who love the party."]

He bowed his head over the Shincheonji-related allegations he had directed against lawmaker Jung Chung-rae's camp during the national convention.

This marks his third apology, following statements made at a general meeting of party lawmakers and during a YouTube broadcast.

Immediate opposition erupted in front of him.

[Lee Seong-yun / Democratic Party Lawmaker: "The leader is distorting the essence of the allegations as if he made a decision to save the nation, and he is inflicting secondary harm on party members who are already deeply hurt."]

To put an end to the Shincheonji controversy, the Democratic Party leadership made the findings of its internal investigation available for lawmakers to review for one week starting today.

The report detailed the number of party members suspected of being Shincheonji followers along with testimony from religious officials, but reactions to the same findings were sharply divided.

[Cho Gye-won / Democratic Party Lawmaker: "There were significantly meaningful numbers, and the situation was quite serious in areas like South Jeolla Province, Gwangju, and North Jeolla Province...."]

[Lim O-kyeong / Democratic Party Lawmaker: "It really makes me laugh. It has absolutely nothing to do with the national convention."]

A Supreme Council member allied with the pro-Jung Chung-rae faction warned that further remarks casting suspicion on their faction would not be tolerated.

[Han Min-soo / Democratic Party Lawmaker: "Even as the party leader is apologizing, acting going forward as if there were some basis for this is something I will not forgive. I will not tolerate it."]

With the pro-Jung faction demanding that the leadership's investigation findings be fully disclosed to general party members if there are no issues, the controversy is unlikely to subside anytime soon.

(Video by Oh Young-choon and Kim Yong-woo | Video Editing by Park Sun-soo)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.