Choi Min-hee Takes Aim Again at Claims That Lee Jae-myung Opposed Impeachment
Choi Min-hee, a Supreme Council member of the Democratic Party of Korea, has once again trained her sights on President Lee Jae-myung.
At a recent members' town hall, Choi reportedly relayed that President Lee, during his tenure as party chairman, had made a judgment to the effect of opposing the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk-yeol. She also pointed out that "President Lee's political judgments are not always right," according to reports. The remarks spread through media coverage and caused a stir within and beyond the ruling party. The issue is escalating beyond a mere personal difference of opinion into something that shakes the ruling party's identity and leadership.
The Weight of Reignited 'Impeachment Opposition' Remarks
This is not the first time the remarks in question have surfaced. Choi's comments about opposing former President Yoon Suk-yeol's impeachment were previously reported and drew controversy, and this time a similar statement was reportedly repeated in the closed setting of a members' town hall. Given that the December 3 martial law declaration and the impeachment crisis form the legitimacy foundation of the current ruling bloc, a senior party official claiming that President Lee opposed impeachment as party leader carries enormous political explosive power. The fact that the remarks were repeated fueled suspicions of intent, ultimately leading to damage control at the party level.
Political attention has turned to President Lee's response. He is reported to have opted for cleanup through aides rather than addressing the matter directly himself. According to summary information, there are reports that Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Min-seok issued what amounted to an 'audit'-style directive. While it has not been confirmed exactly what procedures the term 'audit' refers to, the prevailing interpretation is that an internal party investigation or fact-finding process has been set in motion to manage the situation.
Infighting Erupts Amid Falling Approval Ratings
The reason this controversy reads as so serious lies in the numbers. In a Gallup Korea survey, President Lee Jae-myung's job approval rating stood at 39% positive and 50% negative, with negative assessments leading by 11 percentage points. Another poll also showed negative views ahead, at 44.1% positive versus 55.3% negative. Party support ratings are likewise in a dead heat, with the Democratic Party at 38.7% and the People Power Party at 37.1% in telephone surveys, a gap of just 1.6 percentage points. The ruling party maintains an edge, but by a margin near the margin of error.
In this climate, a dissenting remark from a Supreme Council member could accelerate erosion of the party's support base. In fact, lawmaker Kim Min-seok has attributed the decline in approval ratings to the defection of centrist voters and internal party strife. If centrists withdraw their support each time they witness the ruling party's infighting, the 1.6-point gap in party support could easily flip. In particular, for the forces that led the impeachment movement, the 'impeachment opposition' remarks strike directly at supporters' memories and emotions, making the fallout potentially severe.
The Continuity of Choi Min-hee's Conduct and Future Variables
Choi's conduct is not the only source of discord. She previously apologized after calling National Assembly reporters "a pack of hyenas," and drew fire for remarking, "If I just watch my mouth, I could at least make it to the middle." Repeated controversies over her words and actions have a cumulative effect on the credibility of the entire party leadership. Within the ruling party itself, calls to demote her from her post or pressure her to resign may well emerge.
What bears watching is the conduct of lawmaker Kim Min-seok. He recently emphasized that "the Lee Jae-myung government is in a period of adjustment and turbulence" and that it would devote itself to livelihoods and the economy. His talk of an adjustment phase presupposes awareness of weak approval ratings, and the reported audit directive is seen as putting that sense of crisis into practice. However, if the audit is perceived as personal surveillance, it could trigger a second backlash, making procedural transparency the key issue.
The situation is likely to unfold along two paths. If Choi repeats or elaborates on her remarks and maintains confrontation, the matter is expected to move into a disciplinary phase through the party's constitutional bodies. Conversely, if she consistently apologizes and stays silent, the controversy will gradually subside, but the perception of internal party strife—the structural cause of falling approval ratings—is expected to linger. Whether President Lee, positioned in the middle, makes an official statement is expected to be the variable that determines the future direction of the political landscape.
