SEOUL — South Korea’s ruling Democratic Party is facing a mounting internal crisis as a recent internal probe into claims of a coordinated mass infiltration by members of the Shincheonji religious sect continues to fuel bitter factional infighting.

The controversy centers on findings by a special party task force, which reportedly identified roughly 14,000 individuals suspected of ties to Shincheonji among party ranks. Of those, about 8,000 are classified as active, voting-eligible regular members, with roughly 3,300 having held voting privileges during the party’s contentious August 17 national convention. In comparison, the Democratic Party boasts a total membership of approximately 5 million, with 1.5 million registered as active members.

The release of the investigation data on December 6 has triggered a sharp division within the party leadership. Party leader Kim Min-seok previously issued a threefold apology admitting a lack of tangible evidence for his earlier pre-convention warnings of a "tripartite alliance" involving anti-party factions and Shincheonji. However, the subsequent document review has reignited tensions.

Lawmakers aligned with the pro-Chung faction have heavily criticized leadership, arguing that the findings fail to justify the initial accusations and demanding accountability from Representative Kim. Critics within this camp have gone as far as comparing the unfolding political fallout to historic controversies over unchecked power abuses. Conversely, allies of the party leadership insist that even the confirmed data points to a alarming vulnerability, leaving the door open to the possibility that external religious influence affected internal electoral outcomes. Some senior figures have publicly called for an immediate comprehensive audit and potential emergency disciplinary actions.

Political analysts warn that the ongoing internal feud threatens to derail the party’s legislative agenda, particularly as lawmakers face critical deadlines for deliberating the national budget and tax code reforms. Observers emphasize that if external religious bodies have systematically manipulated internal political processes, it strikes at the core of party democracy. Calls are growing for party heavyweights to bridge their differences and consider seeking an independent law enforcement inquiry to definitively resolve the controversy and restore focus on public livelihood issues.

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