Kim Min-seok Announces Bid for Democratic Party Leadership, Calls for 'Perfect Party-Government Unity'

▲ Former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, a candidate for the Democratic Party leadership, announces his bid for the party representative election at Jeonil Building 245 in Dong-gu, Gwangju, on the morning of July 6.

Former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok announced his bid for the Democratic Party leadership at Jeonil Building 245 in Gwangju today (July 6), stating, "We must restore the competent, strong, and winning Democratic Party of the Lee Jae-myung era."

In his announcement today, Kim stated, "The top priority for the success of the Lee Jae-myung administration, which is our absolute task, is to achieve innovation within the Democratic Party, the ruling party."

"Over the past year, the Democratic Party has failed to translate approval ratings for the president and the government into party support and election results," Kim argued. "The弊害 (harmful effects) of 'self-serving politics' over the past year have led to confusion in party-government cooperation."

These remarks are interpreted as a criticism of former Representative Jung Chung-rae, who is considered a likely candidate for a consecutive term as party leader.

"As things stand, success in state affairs, victory in the general election, and party unity are all difficult to achieve," Kim pointed out. "The lack of deliberation, insufficient discussion, procedural flaws, and lack of consistency seen in the pursuit of party mergers, discussions on prosecution reform, and strategies for nominations and elections have caused many problems."

He continued, "We must sort things out one by one, step by step," emphasizing that "perfect unity between the party and the government, along with a pragmatic approach to people's livelihoods, is the only proven winning path validated by the four previous democratic governments."

He added, "I will establish relationships with other parties, factions, and individuals from the perspective of a three-part grand integration—uniting when we are the same, forming alliances when we differ, and constantly expanding—and I will push for a large-scale 'Grand Integration Plan'."

"As Prime Minister, a partner in state affairs to the President, I have deeply shared the direction of the administration," Kim said. "I have the unique experience of having warned against martial law, designed the strategy to liquidate the insurrection, and led and guided party figures to victory in local, general, and presidential elections."

He concluded, "If we are not desperate and strict now, we could fall into the quagmire of defeat in the general election," adding, "I appeal to our party members and supporters to make the decision to replace the party leader."

(Photo: Yonhap News)

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