The Democratic Party's convention is evolving into a competition over its legacy. Candidate Song Young-gil received an endorsement from the Roh Moo-hyun Spirit Legacy Association, while Jung Cheong-rae, a member of the 'Noh Sa-mo' (People Who Love Roh Moo-hyun) group, has brought in Kim Jeong-ok, the wife of the late former Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan, as the head of his support committee. Kim Min-seok has apologized for his role in the 'candidate unification crisis' during the 16th presidential election.
On July 29, the Roh Moo-hyun Spirit Legacy Association held a press conference at the National Assembly to announce their support for Song, stating, "The spirit of Roh Moo-hyun is not a decorative item to be taken out only when needed," and expressed their anger over the deceptive political maneuvers surrounding the party's leadership election.
They further questioned, "Who among the candidates opposed former President Roh and left for another party? Who was at the forefront of opposing the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement?" This pointed to Kim Min-seok's involvement in the unification crisis and Jung Cheong-rae's opposition to the trade agreement.
The association emphasized, "The true spirit of Roh Moo-hyun is the dedication to principles, common sense, and national interest," asserting that Song is needed to fully support the national agenda of the Lee Jae-myung administration, which was born from the candlelight revolution.
In response, Song stated, "I feel sorry for not being able to protect former President Roh. I will work hard for the success of the Lee Jae-myung administration so that Roh's spirit can flourish."
There are also differing views among the candidates regarding the legitimacy of their claims to the party's legacy. During a town hall meeting in Busan on July 19, Song claimed, "I have walked the path most accurately from former Presidents Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun to Moon Jae-in and Lee Jae-myung. As someone with a clear legacy, I am free to expand and embrace. I can most accurately carry out the external expansion that President Lee mentioned."
Jung countered, "The other two candidates have the flaw of having a history of leaving the party. I was part of DJ's 'Yeoncheong' (Democratic Youth Alliance) and 'Noh Sa-mo.'" He has been consistently advocating for the need to achieve internal unity within the party.
On July 17, Kim visited the grave of former President Kim Dae-jung, writing in the guestbook, "The reason I was able to overcome difficulties was thanks to the teachings and encouragement of the President." Kim has previously served as the secretary to the chairman of the New Millennium Democratic Party and as a member of the National Assembly during Kim Dae-jung's presidency.
On the same day, after visiting the grave of former President Roh in Bongha Village, Kim posted on X (formerly Twitter), "I deeply apologize to former President Roh and all those involved in 'Noh Sa-mo' for the emotional scars caused during the candidate unification process in 2002. My misjudgment and shortcomings led to 18 years of being out of office. Former President Roh expressed in his autobiography that 'official reconciliation was achieved by the mandate of the delegates' in 2008, and I am grateful for that profound and great person."
Meanwhile, the Democratic Party's convention will kick off on August 1 in the Chungcheong region, followed by a series of preliminary elections, culminating in the election of a new party leader in Daejeon on August 17.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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