▲ Jung Chung-rae (C), leader of the ruling Democratic Party, speaks during a press briefing after a supreme council meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul on Feb. 10, 2026. (Yonhap)
▲ Jung Chung-rae (C), leader of the ruling Democratic Party, is seen after attending a general meeting of party lawmakers at the National Assembly in Seoul on Feb. 10, 2026. (Yonhap)

(LEAD) ruling party-merger proposal

(LEAD) DP puts merger talks with minor party on hold until after local elections

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By Yi Wonju

SEOUL, Feb. 10 (Yonhap) -- The leader of the ruling Democratic Party (DP) said Tuesday that discussions on a possible merger with the minor liberal Rebuilding Korea Party will be put on hold until after the June local elections, apologizing to party members for internal friction caused by the proposal.

"We decided to end discussions on the merger ahead of the local elections," DP chairman Jung Chung-rae said in a briefing after a supreme council meeting. "It is true that my proposal caused concerns and worries both within and outside the party, and we were unable to generate the synergy the merger was expected to create."

He apologized for causing confusion among party members, saying, "Unity is more urgent than merger discussions."

Jung floated the idea last month that the ruling party would merge with the Rebuilding Korea Party before the local elections.

However, the proposal triggered strong backlash within the party over both the timing and scope of the merger.

During a general meeting earlier in the day, DP lawmakers agreed on the need to merge with the minor party to better help secure a landslide victory in the June 3 elections, but there were different views on how and when the two political parties would merge, according to DP spokesperson Park Soo-hyun

"While the lawmakers generally shared the view that unity is necessary, there was a consensus that pushing for the merger, even if it had rationale, was difficult under the current circumstances," the spokesperson said after the meeting.

The lawmakers also agreed that the proposal intensified tensions within the ruling party although it came out of a "genuine intention to secure the party's landslide victory in the local elections and the success of the administration," according to Park.

Many lawmakers suggested continuing the discussions after the elections, he added.

Former Justice Minister Cho Kuk, who leads the Rebuilding Korea Party, earlier urged the DP to make its final decision by Friday.

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