Democratic Party leadership candidates Kim Min-seok, left, and Jung Chung-rae attend a youth and labor policy forum at the National Assembly in Seoul on Wednesday. Photo by Asia Today
July 22 (Asia Today) -- South Korea's ruling Democratic Party leadership race has descended into an increasingly bitter dispute over allegations that members of a controversial religious group may be attempting to influence the party's Aug. 17 national convention.
The dispute began after former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, a candidate for party leader, raised the possibility that the Shincheonji Church of Jesus was intervening in the election.
Shincheonji is a South Korean religious movement whose alleged political activities have become the subject of a national investigation. The church has denied allegations that it directed members to join political parties or interfere in elections.
Kim's claims have revived questions about why proposed legislation authorizing a special counsel investigation into Shincheonji was abandoned while rival candidate Jung Chung-rae was serving as Democratic Party leader.
