The two leading candidates in South Korea's ruling Democratic Party leadership race clashed sharply during a televised debate on Wednesday, according to 조선일보.
Rep. Jung Cheong-rae said someone must take responsibility for leverage-related financial losses, while rival Rep. Kim Min-seok questioned whether the government was protecting the Shincheonji religious group from scrutiny. The exchange took place during the second televised debate between party leadership hopefuls, as reported by KBS News.
The dispute deepened when Jung warned that if he becomes party leader, he would launch an internal inspection of Kim. Kim responded by asking whether Jung believed former presidential candidate Yoo Si-min was right about the matter. Jung, who previously served as prime minister, argued that leverage investments had caused ordinary citizens to shed tears.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the two candidates also diverged on what should be the Lee administration's top priority. When asked about the government's first task, Song and Jung pointed to real estate issues, while Kim emphasized the need for stable relations between the party and the administration, as reported by Newsis.
The debate marks an escalation in what has become a heated contest for the party's top post. The candidates have increasingly focused on attacking each other's records and associations rather than policy platforms.
The next debate is expected to test whether the candidates can shift from personal attacks to substantive policy discussions. Voters will be watching to see if the party can present a unified front ahead of upcoming elections.
