On the 10th, Democratic Party of Korea leader Jeong Cheong-rae said, “The people are eternal and administrations are short,” adding, ““I think our basic posture must always be to heed public sentiment.”

At the Democratic Party Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly that day, Jeong said, “No administration can defeat the people,” making these remarks.

Jeong began by saying, “Back in 2002 I was part of Nosamo (the group that loves President Roh Moo-hyun),” and continued, “Two years later, in 2004, thanks to the regional primaries that President Roh Moo-hyun created as part of political reform (regional primaries for National Assembly candidates), I was able to become a lawmaker. Had it not been the Roh Moo-hyun era, it would have been difficult for me to become a member of the National Assembly.”

Jeong said, “It was the political reform of the Roh Moo-hyun era that ended the era in which people would curry favor and secure nominations through faction bosses and parachute appointments,” adding, “I believe that carried over into an era of one person, one vote and party member sovereignty.”

Jeong said, “What I have felt over the past 24 years is that the opposition wins public support when it acts like an opposition, and the ruling party wins it when it acts like a ruling party,” adding, “While there are swing voters, I do not think there is a permanently fixed middle bloc.”

Jeong said, “Public sentiment is the will of heaven,” adding, “No administration can defeat the people. The people are eternal and administrations are short.” He continued, “Whether in government or in opposition, an attitude that always pays attention to the hearts of the peoplethat public sentimentmust be our basic posture,” and added, “The saying ‘Those who follow heaven prosper, those who go against heaven perish’ has always proven true.” He then said, “The Democratic Party and the Lee Jae Myung administration will always take the humblest posture and most deeply etch the hearts of the people in order to win the hearts of the people.”

Earlier, Jeong planned to visit Bongha Village in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang, on the 11th to pay his respects at the grave of former President Roh Moo-hyun, and to visit former President Moon Jae-in in Pyeongsan Village in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang, but canceled the schedule because a plenary session of the National Assembly was set for the same day. Some in the ruling camp interpreted this as Jeong seeking to rally the pro-Roh and pro-Moon support base ahead of a bid for another term at the party convention in August.