Kim Min-seok, the leader of the Democratic Party, stated on August 21 that he would consider incorporating the need for an elected youth committee member at the next party convention in response to internal controversies surrounding the recent appointment of a youth committee member. He emphasized, "I will attempt to make this change, even if it requires amendments."
During a Supreme Council meeting in Gangneung, Kim remarked, "It would have been ideal to reflect youth representation among the five elected members, similar to the inclusion of women, but it was not feasible under the circumstances." This statement comes amid tensions between factions within the party regarding the introduction of an elected youth committee position. The pro-Lee Jae-myung faction advocated for an elected youth committee member, while the pro-Jung Cheong-rae faction opposed sudden changes to the rules.
Previously, Choi Min-hee, the chief supreme council member, expressed her surprise on Facebook after Kim appointed re-elected lawmaker Jeon Yong-ki as the youth committee member during a parliamentary meeting. She criticized the lack of prior consultation with the supreme council, stating, "How can a decision be made properly if the list of nominees is suddenly revealed in a parliamentary meeting without any minimum consultation?"
Choi further pointed out that during the party convention, Kim and the other two candidates had publicly promised to appoint a youth member to the committee and to conduct elections for the position. She questioned how the party could expect to gain support from the 2030 generation while failing to uphold even this public commitment.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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