Pine Tree Party leader Song Young-gil declared support for Democratic Party of Korea presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung on the 9th.
On that day, the Pine Tree Party held a press conference at the National Assembly, where they released a message from Leader Song, stating, "We declare our support for candidate Lee Jae-myung, consolidating the will of all party members."
Leader Song stated in the message, "This presidential election is not a confrontation between the progressive and conservative camps," and asserted, "It is an election to judge Yoon Suk-yeol, the instigator of a rebellion who seeks to undermine the freedom, democracy, and constitutional order of the Republic of Korea, and his followers." He continued, "The Pine Tree Party aims to propel candidate Lee Jae-myung to a landslide victory with the total support of all party members and to take the lead in eradicating the criminal family, including Yoon Suk-yeol and Kim Keon-hee, and the residual forces that have followed them."
Leader Song was sentenced to two years in prison and taken into custody on January 1 for allegedly receiving illegal political funds under the pretense of donations through the outside organization Peace and Livelihood Issues Research Institute (Meal Research Institute), which supports and assists political activities.