Kim Min-seok, leader of the Democratic Party, is ramping up preparations for the upcoming by-elections for the Seoul mayor and Gangneung parliamentary seats, as well as the general elections scheduled for 2028. This effort is seen as a continuation of the 'game-making politics' championed by the late former Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan, who first introduced Kim to the electoral process.
On the 30th, Kim visited Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, to attend the opening of the local office for proportional representative Kim Yoon. At the event, he urged attendees to support Kim in her efforts to promote regional development. The day before, Kim had also visited Busan's Sasang District for the opening of proportional representative Park Hong-bae's local office.
These actions reflect Kim's commitment to electoral success. During the party convention that concluded on the 17th, he highlighted his strengths as a candidate, noting that he is the only one within the party to have led victories in general, local, and presidential elections. Since taking office, he has continued to express his determination to win elections. His immediate goal is to secure victory in the by-elections, having promised to seek re-endorsement after the by-elections.
While Kim has secured the right to nominate candidates for the general elections following his victory at the party convention, a poor performance in the by-elections could jeopardize his position. In the case of the Seoul mayoral race, incumbent Oh Se-hoon has been sentenced to disqualification, while former lawmaker Kwon Seong-dong's disqualification has been finalized in Gangneung.
Both regions are traditionally weak for the Democratic Party. Oh defeated Democratic candidate Jeong Won-oh in the recent local elections, marking his fifth term as Seoul mayor, while Gangneung, although it saw the election of a Democratic mayor, is generally regarded as a stronghold for conservative support.
To address these challenges, Kim has personally visited Gangneung and established a task force to ensure the success of the ITS World Congress. The task force will be co-chaired by Kim Woo-young, a lawmaker from Gangneung, and Lee Don-tae, president of Lotte Group. If Kim achieves favorable results in both the Seoul mayoral and Gangneung parliamentary by-elections, he is likely to receive re-endorsement, with the general election results serving as a final assessment of his leadership.
Shortly after taking office, Kim declared that the party would effectively enter a state of preparation for the general elections, outlining his vision to restore a winning Democratic Party. During a visit to the grave of former Prime Minister Lee on the 17th, he stated, 'I will continue the path of a game maker, building a framework for continuous rule based on the wisdom, determination, and transparency of former Prime Minister Lee. I aim not just for a simple victory in the general elections but to establish a golden era for the Democratic Party over the next 20 to 30 years.' As a strategist within the party, attention is now focused on whether Kim can indeed create a golden age for the Democratic Party.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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