DP chief confirms Shincheonji members joined party en masse before August leadership vote
Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok stated that further discussions would determine whether to share the initial findings with lawmakers or request a formal investigation.
Democratic Party chief Kim Min-seok speaks during a Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly in western Seoul on Oct. 14.NEWS1
Ruling Democratic Party (DP) head Kim Min-seok confirmed on Wednesday that a substantial number of Shincheonji Church of Jesus members joined the DP before Aug. 17, when the vote for party leader took place.
The Shincheonji Church of Jesus is a religious movement that was founded by Lee Man-hee in 1980. It is widely regarded as a heretical Christian denomination in Korea.
“We have confirmed that a considerable number of [Shincheonji members] joined the party collectively through an organized effort, about which we have gathered […] meaningful testimony,” Kim said during an appearance on the DP’s official YouTube channel.
He also confirmed that the party had investigated the claims internally and reported its findings to its Supreme Council.
The Shincheonji allegation first surfaced after the August convention to elect the DP leader, during which Kim faced off against then-party chief Rep. Jung Chung-rae.
At the time, Kim accused Jung of mobilizing Shincheonji members to join the party and vote for him. He likened the suspected collusion to a “secret united front, which is anti-[President] Lee Jae Myung in nature and meant to sow divisions within the [DP].”
Jung and his aides dismissed the accusations as a “conspiracy theory” that would jeopardize the party’s very existence.
On Wednesday, Kim confirmed that the initial findings had recently been presented to the party’s Supreme Council and that further discussions would determine whether to share the results with DP lawmakers or request a formal investigation.
Asked whether Shincheonji members had gone beyond joining the party and attempted to influence the leadership race, Kim said, “There is testimony to that effect.”
However, he withheld the details, as the testimony needs to be reviewed and consolidated before any further disclosure.
Democratic Party Rep. Jung Chung-rae speaks during a parliamentary audit at the National Assembly in western Seoul on Oct. 6.NEWS1
Kim then pushed back against media reports that at least 30,000 Shincheonji members had joined the party.
“We estimated [the number of members] using one of the available verification methods rather than through a criminal investigation, but the figure reported in the media is inaccurate,” he said.
He also said that a task force led by DP Rep. Park Sun-won had completed its initial review of the party’s membership shortly before the National Assembly began its annual parliamentary audit of state agencies and reported the findings to the Supreme Council.
“We will take the interests of the entire party into account,” Kim said. “Given how sensitive this issue is, we will approach it with great care and caution.”
The DP is currently mulling over the extent to which it should publicly disclose relevant findings, including whether to release regional figures for suspected party registrations by Shincheonji members.
Gyeonggi Gov. Choo Mi-ae speaks during a parliamentary audit at the provincial government office in Gyeonggi on Oct. 13.KIM JONG-HO
Separately, Kim suggested that Gyeonggi Gov. Choo Mi-ae refrain from criticizing Kim Ji-yong, who has been nominated to become the first head of the recently established Serious Crimes Investigation Agency.
During a parliamentary audit of the Gyeonggi provincial government on Tuesday, Choo repeatedly questioned the nominee’s suitability for the post and described him as a prosecutor aligned with ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol.
“I think that people should focus on their own responsibilities and act within their respective roles,” Kim Min-seok said, seemingly rebuking the governor.
“At first, [this person] said that it was inappropriate for a governor to comment on the matter and that they would focus on running the province,” he added, not explicitly naming Choo. “But as the questions continued, they eventually offered remarks [about others]. I think that it would have been more appropriate — and more in line with normal practice — for them to stick to their initial position.”
He also pointed to the nominee’s confirmation hearing, scheduled for Wednesday, as the proper forum for scrutiny.
“The matter should be fully addressed by those responsible for conducting today’s confirmation hearing,” Kim Min-seok said. “I believe that those who have no particular need to comment further should exercise restraint.”
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
