On April 28, Representative Park Yong-jin of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPP) shared an anecdote about how he recently went to a party meeting in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, and received a protest from supporters in Gangseong saying, “Go to the power of the people.” Park appealed to them to “refrain from hatred, attacks, and division within the party스포츠토토.”

“If we stigmatize and attack those inside the Democratic Party as ‘watermelons’ (a slang term for politicians who are Democrats on the outside and people’s power on the inside), we will all lose,” Park said on social networking services (SNS).

Park said she was invited to a cooperation agreement ceremony and party member lecture with the Andong-Yecheon Regional Committee in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, on April 26. “However, in front of the Gyeongbuk Party office where the event was held, a group of party members came to prevent the event. They appeared to be supporters of Lee Jae-myung, the so-called ‘dog daughter,'” Park said. “They insisted to me, ‘Where are you coming from?’ ‘Don’t even mention Lee Jae-myung with your mouth,’ and ‘We can’t allow the event, so leave Andong,'” she said.

“When I tried to talk to them in front of them, they shouted that they didn’t want to listen, physically blocked me from entering the building, and dragged me by the wrist,” Park said. “I went inside and said, ‘Let’s talk together’ several times, but they only repeatedly told me to disappear, leave the party, and go to the people’s power.”

“What broke my heart was how they criticized Andong and Yecheon Regional Chairman Kim Hwi for organizing the event and called for his resignation,” Park said. “Kim is the so-called ‘chinmyeong of chinmyeong,’ yet they criticized him for organizing my Andong event that was critical of Lee Jae-in.”

Addressing the party leadership, Park said, “As leaders of the Democratic Party and elected officials such as lawmakers, they should be firm about this wrong behavior. You have the power, so you have to be a responsible voice,” Park said, calling for a stern response.

To Kang’s supporters, Park said, “This should not happen in the Democratic Party, which prides itself on being a democratic party,” and added, “Please request a meeting with me, not a one-sided abusive text. I will wait for your call.” “The wrong attitude of some party members and supporters is making it harder and lonelier for Lee Jae-myung and pushing the Democratic Party away from the people,” he said, adding, “We can’t win with divisive party management and hatred, such as ‘get out the hater’.”

Party spokesman Park Sung-joon met with reporters at the National Assembly on the same day and, when asked about Park’s anecdote, said, “The party’s position is that we are open to free expression of opinions within the party, but we will take decisive action against abusive and harmful remarks.”