DP leader's reversal on Shincheonji claim sparks backlash from lawmakers

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SEOUL, Nov. 4 (Yonhap) -- Ruling party leader Kim Min-seok's decision to reverse his claim of collusion between party lawmakers and a religious sect has fueled internal divisions and backlash among the main opposition.

The ruling Democratic Party (DP) had planned to announce the results of an internal investigation into allegations that followers of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, a nonmainstream religious sect, joined the party to sway the outcome of the party leadership race, but a briefing planned for Tuesday to make such an announcement was canceled at the last minute.

The party leader, Rep. Kim, instead apologized at a closed-door meeting of party lawmakers, saying the party found no evidence to support his earlier claim that the registration of the members were orchestrated between the church and lawmakers who were not aligned with President Lee Jae Myung.

Kim first raised the allegations in July ahead of the party's Aug. 17 leadership election, claiming that an anti-Lee faction had secretly colluded with Shincheonji in a remark widely seen as targeting former leader Jung Chung-rae.

The issue resurfaced last month when the DP confirmed through an internal investigation that Shincheonji members had joined the party.

Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Jung criticized Kim's claims as "groundless" and politically motivated.

Kim Min-seok (R), leader of the ruling Democratic Party, attends a meeting of the party's supreme council at the National Assembly on Nov. 4, 2026. (Yonhap)

Lawmakers aligned with Rep. Jung demanded Wednesday that Kim issue a public apology, saying his apology the previous day, made public via a briefing by floor spokesperson Kim Sung-hoi, was not enough.

"Kim should offer a sincere public apology to party members and former party leader Jung Chung-rae, who were the victims, and take responsibility for his remarks," Rep. Lee Sung-yoon said.

Another member of the party's supreme council, Rep. Han Min-soo, argued an apology made at a closed-door meeting of party lawmakers cannot "heal the wounds of party members and supporters who have endured ridicule and insults."

"The act of insulting party members and putting the party at serious risk constitutes an act that goes against the party," Jung said.

At a supreme council meeting earlier in the day, Kim vowed to carry out efforts to unite the party and take steps to prevent religious interference in the ruling party but did not offer a public apology.

Rep. Choi Min-hee did not attend the meeting, claiming she was earlier "pressured" by Kim not to make any remarks about Shincheonji.

Kim's apology also drew criticism from the main opposition People Power Party (PPP).

PPP floor leader Jeong Jeom-sig called on Kim to immediately step down and retire from politics while urging President Lee to order a joint prosecution-police investigation into the case.

The main opposition party has been implicated in a similar allegation involving Shincheonji, with the church's founder and leader, Lee Man-hee, currently facing a trial on charges of forcing over 56,000 church followers to join the PPP in an attempt to influence the outcome of party primaries and nominations ahead of the 2022 presidential election and the 2024 general elections.

julesyi@yna.co.kr (END)

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DP leader's reversal on Shincheonji claim sparks backlash from lawmakers

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首尔，11月4日（韩联社）——执政党领导人金珉锡撤回其关于党内议员与宗教团体勾结的指控，加剧了党内分裂，并引发了主要反对党的强烈反弹。

执政的共同民主党（DP）原计划公布一项内部调查结果，该调查旨在查明新天地耶稣教会（一个非主流宗教派别）的信徒是否加入该党以影响党魁选举的结果。但原定于周二举行的新闻发布会却在最后一刻取消了。

党魁金议员在党内议员闭门会议上道歉，称该党没有找到任何证据支持他之前的说法，即教会和与李在明总统立场不同的议员共同策划了成员登记。

金正日在7月份首次提出这些指控，当时正值该党8月17日举行领导人选举之前。他声称，一个反李明博的派系秘密地与新天地党勾结，这一言论被广泛认为是针对前领导人郑忠来。

上个月，该问题再次浮出水面，当时民主党通过内部调查证实，新天地教会成员已加入该党。

周二，郑在接受记者采访时批评金正恩的说法“毫无根据”，并称其出于政治动机。

2026年11月4日，执政党共同民主党党首金珉锡（右）出席在国会举行的该党最高委员会会议。（韩联社）

周三，与郑议员结盟的议员们要求金正恩公开道歉，称他前一天通过议会发言人金成会发表的道歉声明还不够。

“金正恩应该向受害的党员和前党魁郑忠来公开真诚道歉，并为自己的言论承担责任，”议员李成允说。

该党最高委员会的另一位成员，议员韩敏洙认为，在党内议员闭门会议上作出的道歉不能“治愈遭受嘲笑和侮辱的党员和支持者所受到的创伤”。

郑说：“侮辱党员、使党面临严重风险的行为，构成了反党行为。”

当天早些时候，金正恩在最高委员会会议上誓言要努力团结党内，并采取措施防止宗教干预执政党，但他没有公开道歉。

崔敏熙议员没有出席会议，她声称之前受到金的“施压”，要求她不要对新天地教会发表任何评论。

金正恩的道歉也招致了主要反对党国民力量党（PPP）的批评。

人民进步党党团领袖郑严实呼吁金正恩立即辞职并退出政坛，同时敦促李登辉总统下令对该案进行检方和警方联合调查。

主要反对党也卷入了与新天地教会类似的指控，该教会的创始人兼领导人李万熙目前正面临审判，罪名是强迫超过 56,000 名教会信徒加入人民进步党，试图影响 2022 年总统选举和 2024 年大选前的党内初选和提名结果。

julesyi@yna.co.kr (完)

主要反对党要求调查新天地教会信徒在执政党中的可疑成员身份。

检方和警方联合调查组结束对政教勾结案的调查

9名统一教会官员因涉嫌非法政治捐款被起诉

（线索）据称，调查人员在三月份忽略了新天地宗派可能与民主党有关的线索。

民主党领袖在“新天地教会”指控上的立场转变引发议员强烈反对