Jo Kuk, head of the Jo Kuk Innovation Party, stated on 2026-04-02 that there is no table for merger discussions between the two parties and that trust has not yet been formed. ^[1] Kim Min-seok, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, stated on 2026-04-02 at a budget policy council meeting in Sejong that the administrative capital project is complete and pledged to realize the vision of former President Roh Moo-hyun. ^[2] Jo Kuk, head of the Jo Kuk Innovation Party's Innovation Policy Research Institute, posted on Facebook that pursuing the dismissal of the indictment against President Lee Jae-myung would be a political and legal failure. ^[3] Park Seon-won, a top committee member of the Democratic Party of Korea, stated at a meeting in Sejong that Jo Kuk's comments were deeply regrettable and unbecoming of a colleague. ^[4] Jo Kuk stated that the possibility of a second conviction for President Lee Jae-myung is very high and that pushing for the dismissal of charges would be a political and legal failure. ^[5] The Democratic Innovation Conference, an external organization of the pro-Lee Jae-myung faction of the Democratic Party, criticized Jo Kuk, head of the Jo Innovation Party's Research Institute, for calling the President's government a 'dead team'. ^[6] Jo Kuk criticized Democratic Party Representative Park Beom-kye for claiming merger discussions were underway, stating that such claims are unfounded because no meeting table exists. ^[7] Kim Min-seok announced that the budget for the Sejong Executive Office construction increased more than eight times this year and that 11.91 billion won was allocated for the Sejong Assembly Hall. ^[8] Jo Kuk stated that the Democratic Party welcomed the conviction of President Lee Jae-myung for the crime of publishing false facts under the Public Official Election Act. ^[9] The People Power Party characterized Jo Kuk's comments as a sign of President Lee Jae-myung's 'reimder,' or declining influence. ^[10] The conference accused Jo Kuk of 'spitting in the well and worrying about the taste of the water' for criticizing the President while claiming to worry about the government's success. ^[11] The Democratic Innovation Conference labeled Jo Kuk's remarks as a 'dead team' that undermines the government while pretending to be a 'red team' meant to help it succeed. ^[12]