Kim Min-seok, a former Prime Minister and candidate for the Democratic Party leadership, criticized former party leader Jeong Cheong-rae on July 6, stating that discussions on party mergers and prosecutorial reform have lacked sufficient debate and procedures.
Kim held a press conference at the National Assembly after an earlier event in Gwangju, officially declaring his candidacy for the party leadership.
When asked about his assessment of the past year’s self-serving politics leading to confusion within the party and government, Kim pointed to the merger with the Justice Innovation Party and discussions on prosecutorial reform, as well as candidate nominations during the last local elections, as examples of insufficient debate and deliberation.
He noted, "We need to deeply reflect on criticisms that we appear to be acting like the ruling party," and expressed his intention to pursue simultaneous innovations and changes across various areas, including integration, youth engagement, attitudes, culture, and policy.
Kim described himself as someone trained to think in terms of the party and organization, asserting that he is well-suited to support President Lee Jae-myung's governance effectively.
He emphasized, "The politics of the ruling party should focus on the overarching goal of the President's success in governance. I have approached politics with this mindset and will continue to do so."
Additionally, Kim announced that he would address all negative campaigning against him during a Q&A session scheduled for July 12, prior to the candidate registration for the party leadership.
He stated, "A Q&A session is planned for this Sunday, and I believe it is essential to clarify negative issues early in the election campaign and engage in fair discussions for the future of the party."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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