Song Young-gil, a member of the Democratic Party, is expected to run in the upcoming party convention in August. On June 29, he emphasized the need for transparent and fair party management, targeting former party leader Jeong Cheong-rae. He also refrained from making direct comments about his potential candidacy, stating he is currently gathering opinions from party members.
During an appearance on KBS Radio's "Current Affairs," Song compared the poor performance of the Korea Football Association in the recent World Cup to the internal situation of the party. He stated, "We need to utilize the entire field. Just as President Lee Jae-myung has openly conducted cabinet meetings, the party must also operate transparently and fairly."
At a town hall meeting held on June 28 in North Jeolla Province, Song criticized Jeong for his alleged factionalism. He reiterated his concerns about Jeong's appointment of special advisors during the local elections, saying, "It is strange to appoint advisors for a local election, especially for someone who is a candidate. This was not the culture when I was party leader."
Addressing Jeong's claims of a connection to former President Roh Moo-hyun, Song remarked, "Jeong has turned his back on Roh. He couldn't even attend the funeral." He added, "If Jeong wants to question Kim Min-seok's qualifications by citing Roh's legacy, he lacks the standing to do so."
Regarding the recent controversy surrounding author Yu Si-min's so-called 'expansion theory,' Song commented, "Critics often do not take responsibility. I suspect this reflects his personal feelings. The decline in support is actually due to the rapid loss of backing from the New Lee Jae-myung faction and the younger generation."
When asked about his potential candidacy for the party convention, Song stated, "The opinions of party members are important," indicating he will consider their feedback. He also mentioned that he will continue to hold town hall meetings to gather members' views, but regarding any alliance with Prime Minister Kim, he said, "The party has introduced a runoff voting system. We will decide on alliances based on the results of the runoff."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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