Kim Min-seok, a candidate for the leadership of the Democratic Party, stated on July 7 that "the Lee Jae-myung administration has prioritized the three major mega projects as the nation’s top agenda, and the next party leader must take responsibility to support them." He also announced plans to hold discussions on youth politics and party unity in the future.
During a forum titled "Three Major Mega Projects and Local-led Growth, Beyond Balanced Development," held at the National Assembly, Kim emphasized, "The success of the mega projects is the top national agenda for the Lee Jae-myung government. Following the government, the Democratic Party must also commit fully to this primary initiative." He asserted that the upcoming party convention should serve as a platform to solidify the commitment to an irreplaceable path for South Korea, stating that the new party leader must take charge of the mega projects.
Kim highlighted the urgency for the Democratic Party to align with the pace of President Lee’s governance, given that the three major mega projects have emerged as the administration's top priority. He expressed confidence that President Lee will not experience a lame-duck period until the end of his term. "As the ruling party, the Democratic Party must not only support President Lee, who is advancing the government agenda at an astonishing speed, but also proactively lead and accelerate our initiatives," he said. He urged party members to transform into a ruling party that outpaces the government through vigorous legislative and policy activities.
Additionally, Kim announced that the forum on the three major mega projects would be the first in a series of discussions covering topics such as youth politics, party unification, and member sovereignty and artificial intelligence (AI) democracy.
He remarked, "I believe that setting the agenda for the party convention is crucial for providing important direction for both the party and the nation, and I will prioritize discussing four key issues at the forum." He also indicated that a second agenda focusing on the Democratic Party's reform tasks and local-led growth would be presented later.
Meanwhile, Kim made remarks aimed at former party leader Jung Cheong-rae, stating, "Unfortunately, the results of the recent local elections and by-elections have created a somewhat concerning atmosphere. However, we must overcome this and open the path to an irreplaceable South Korea."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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