- Song Young-gil and Kim Yong ineligible? Will state opinion directly to the party
- Jung Chung-rae's faction emphasized prosecution reform whenever they opened their mouths, but...
- Attacking me on the day I was unfairly indicted by Yoon's prosecution? Are they prosecution proxies?
- All party members have different opinions... A few Supreme Council members are ignoring the party members
- Jung Chung-rae requesting a smooth resolution? Speak directly, not on social media
- Currently, the Democratic Party is run complacently, like "Hong Myung-bo's leadership"
- I am "Hiddink"... Will play my role as the only candidate who served as a metropolitan government head
- Not a "good cop, bad cop" strategy with Kim Min-seok... Party members will decide
- Rhyu Si-min's criticism? He was also the first to call for Kim Dae-jung's resignation
- He is just a writer... An arrogant perspective instigating anti-government sentiment
- Ruling party has "nobody" prejudice against Lee Jae-myung... Reminds me of Shin Dol-seok
- National Convention situation? It seems to be helping me instead... I will overcome it
- Promise a youth special committee if elected leader... Supplementary investigation should be handled through the right to request
■ Broadcast: SBS Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show (FM 103.5 MHz 7:00 – 9:00)
■ Date: Friday, July 17, 2026
■ Host: Attorney Kim Tae-hyun
■ Guest: Song Young-gil, Democratic Party of Korea leadership candidate
[Kim Tae-hyun]: From now on, we will meet a candidate running in the Democratic Party leadership election. This is the person who is making his second bid for the party leadership after entering the National Assembly through the June 3 by-elections. Candidate Song Young-gil of the Democratic Party of Korea. Hello, candidate.
[Song Young-gil]: Hello.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Candidate, you registered your candidacy yesterday, didn't you?
[Song Young-gil]: Yes.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: But last night, or rather early this morning, another article came out. Last night, a late-night Supreme Council meeting was held in the Democratic Party, and they are now questioning the eligibility of you and candidate Kim Yong, who is running for the Supreme Council. Looking at the details, according to the party constitution and rules, you can only run in the National Convention six months after reinstating your party membership. Since it hasn't been six months since you reinstated your membership, they questioned this at the late-night Supreme Council meeting yesterday, saying, "Isn't it ineligible?"
[Song Young-gil]: Yes.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: How is this situation unfolding right now?
[Song Young-gil]: When I woke up early this morning, I found a lot of messages. It seems they couldn't reach a conclusion, so they are holding the Supreme Council meeting again at 8:20 AM. So I am planning to go there in a hurry.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: You mean you are going to the venue? To state your position.
[Song Young-gil]: I plan to hold a press conference there with former Vice President Kim Yong and convey my opinion to the Supreme Council members.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: But if the party constitution and rules strictly state that those who have been reinstated for less than six months can never run, there's nothing we can do because that's the law. However, it says that exceptions can be made if the Party Affairs Committee passes a resolution.
[Song Young-gil]: That is correct.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Then, the Supreme Council could just hold a Party Affairs Committee meeting and say, "Song Young-gil is a former party leader, so let's let him run."
[Song Young-gil]: That is correct.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Then why are they not doing it?
[Song Young-gil]: I heard that the three Supreme Council members from the pro-Chung faction—Mun Jeong-bok, Park Ji-won, and Park... from Daegu, whose name I can't remember—strongly opposed it. So I called Supreme Council members Mun Jeong-bok and Park Ji-won this morning, but they didn't answer, so I left messages and posted them on my Facebook.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Yes.
[Song Young-gil]: But this is what I think. I am someone who was elected as a member of the National Assembly after being strategically nominated as the Democratic Party candidate for Yeonsu-gap last time. In other words, the party leadership granted me the right to run for public office, right? But reviewing my eligibility to run for a party office again—isn't that self-contradictory?
[Kim Tae-hyun]: If they were going to do that, they shouldn't have nominated you back then.
[Song Young-gil]: Exactly. Even back then, Representative Jung Chung-rae boasted about taking special measures, like removing the penalty rules. And Supreme Council member Park Ji-won must be a legal expert, so not only do I find it ridiculous that they are having such an absurd debate, but also, wasn't the faction that emphasized prosecution reform the most whenever they opened their mouths former Representative Jung Chung-rae and those Supreme Council members? They have been making a fuss as if some disaster would happen if the authority for supplementary investigation was not abolished. Yet, Song Young-gil, a symbolic victim of that prosecutorial dictatorship, returned after being acquitted, and now they are limiting my and Kim Yong's eligibility using the prosecution's timeline, saying it hasn't been six months. Isn't that self-contradictory? How can a political party be like this? If we file for an injunction, it will be granted immediately.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Yes.
[Song Young-gil]: I believe that if they don't handle this properly, this leadership will fall into self-contradiction. Don't you think so?
[Kim Tae-hyun]: If they are going this far, and these three Supreme Council members are all so-called members of the pro-Chung faction...
[Song Young-gil]: That is correct.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: You have been clashing a lot with candidate Jung Chung-rae recently. Do you think that has an influence?
[Song Young-gil]: Regardless of whether they are pro-Chung or not, what is our Democratic Party? "I disagree with your opinion, but I will fight for your freedom to freely express your opinion." Isn't this attitude the very essence of democracy? In our Democratic Party, we can have different opinions. We can criticize. Moreover, those who claim prosecution reform as their political identity... I was unfairly indicted by Yoon Suk-yeol's prosecution and came out after my acquittal was finalized, and I believe Kim Yong is also virtually innocent, though he is currently awaiting the Supreme Court's ruling. Questioning our eligibility based on this... then are you guys prosecution proxies?
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Why would those three do that?
[Song Young-gil]: That's why it's self-contradictory. It's what you call double standards. Words and actions must align. What is the reason our Democratic Party always loses support from the 2030 generation? It's because we are hypocritical. Why are our words and actions different? Isn't that it?
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Yes.
[Song Young-gil]: I believe it will be corrected. And moreover, Party Leader Lee Jae-myung and Jung Chung-rae talked about the "one person, one vote" system and the era of party member sovereignty. Why don't they ask all party members whether Song Young-gil should be granted eligibility for this National Convention? A few Supreme Council members shouldn't ignore the will of the party members and act like this.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Candidate, could they be doing this to block you from running entirely because you are a tough opponent, thereby creating a one-on-one race between candidate Jung Chung-rae and candidate Kim Min-seok?
[Song Young-gil]: I don't know. I can't speak on that.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: If they hold the meeting today, and despite you going there, holding a press conference, and protesting in front of the Supreme Council, they still don't open the Party Affairs Committee and try to block your run, what will you do?
[Song Young-gil]: Then I will immediately file for an injunction.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: You will respond through legal action.
[Song Young-gil]: Everyone, doesn't this make sense from a common-sense perspective? Our party officially granted me the right to run for the National Assembly, a constitutional institution that requires much stricter vetting than a party post. If they refuse to grant me the right to run for a party post, does that logic hold up? Doesn't it?
[Kim Tae-hyun]: But if they go that far, won't the factional conflict intensify even more?
[Song Young-gil]: Indeed. It doesn't help the unity of the party. That's probably why Representative Jung Chung-rae wrote on Facebook today, "I hope it is handled well."
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Let me read it. "July 17, red light on Song Young-gil and Kim Yong's eligibility to run in the National Convention." This is Representative Jung Chung-rae's social media. "Re-discussion on the 17th. Since there is a relief clause in the party rules, I hope the party leadership will take smooth and appropriate measures. We are comrades and brothers-in-arms who overcame the night of the December 3rd martial law rebellion together. Let's go together." Candidate Jung Chung-rae is saying they should let you run.
[Song Young-gil]: Yes, that's what he's saying. But if he wants that, instead of just writing on Facebook, Representative Jung Chung-rae should call Supreme Council members Mun Jeong-bok, Park Ji-won, and Park Gyu-hwan—is that his name?—and convey his intention to them.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Even after doing this, if...
[Song Young-gil]: If he writes that on Facebook but doesn't follow through, and those people still oppose it in the Supreme Council...
[Kim Tae-hyun]: If that happens, it's a classic good cop, bad cop strategy. Is that how you see it?
[Song Young-gil]: Yes.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Candidate Jung Chung-rae says nice things like "we should let him run," but in reality, the three Supreme Council candidates don't budge. You see this as a dual strategy, dividing roles into good cop and bad cop within that faction, right?
[Song Young-gil]: Surely they wouldn't do that. Former Representative Jung Chung-rae will probably call and sort it out. Right? We at least share the basic DNA of being the Democratic Party, which is different from the People Power Party.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: I heard it's being held around 8:20 AM today, the Supreme Council. What will you say when you go?
[Song Young-gil]: I have to go right after this and persuade them. Those who criticized the prosecutorial dictatorship of Yoon Suk-yeol... the representative victims are Song Young-gil and Kim Yong, so they shouldn't apply formal logic about it not being six months as an excuse. Don't you think so? I am much senior in the party than the current Supreme Council members, and as a former party leader who entered the party as President Kim Dae-jung's first "young blood transfusion" and has protected the party until now, I don't think it's right to treat me this way. The party members will not agree.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: I see. Anyway, we will watch the results of today's Supreme Council. Candidate, you have already served as party leader once. Why are you trying to do it again?
[Song Young-gil]: That's why I often use a soccer analogy. Manager Hong Myung-bo lost 1-0 to South Africa because of poor, overly plain tactics. But I view that 1-0 loss as the last local by-elections. However, even after losing, he didn't change his tactics, didn't actively field Son Heung-min, and didn't supplement the attack with Lee Kang-in, but instead added more defenders, and in the end, it was over.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Yes.
[Song Young-gil]: A similar event happened this time. Did you see Argentina and England?
[Kim Tae-hyun]: I saw it.
[Song Young-gil]: Since England was winning 1-0, they played defensive soccer to protect their lead, but in just 7 minutes, they conceded two goals from Messi's crosses and the game was overturned 2-1. I really think this could happen.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: To the Democratic Party?
[Song Young-gil]: Yes. If we play "bed soccer" (stalling) like this, we will ruin ourselves. That's why I think this general election is important. Moreover, the reason I wanted to run is that while the last time I was party leader was ahead of the presidential election at the end of the Moon Jae-in administration, now is the time when the Lee Jae-myung administration has been working for two years and must deliver results to the public.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Right.
[Song Young-gil]: But among the five candidates, I am the only one who has experience overcoming crises, creating work, and producing results as a former head of a metropolitan local government. So I think this is a golden opportunity to create visible achievements for the Lee Jae-myung administration.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: So you will lead the victories in the general and presidential elections.
[Song Young-gil]: Yes.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: The analogy of the Democratic Party's "bed soccer" is quite impressive. Are you saying that because they secured power and have many seats, they have become complacent, sluggish in producing results, and are just coasting along comfortably?
[Song Young-gil]: Yes. There is a complacent aspect to it. But even writer Rhyu Si-min said that when people are well-off, they always say things like that.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: When they are well-off?
[Song Young-gil]: When internal conflict arises.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: If you become the party leader, what will change dramatically from the Democratic Party led by Representative Jung Chung-rae so far? From the public's perspective.
[Song Young-gil]: Rather than other words, I think it's changing from Hong Myung-bo's leadership to Guus Hiddink.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: That expression really hits home. Changing from Hong Myung-bo to Hiddink.
[Song Young-gil]: Hong Myung-bo always relied on his Korea University connections. Because Guus Hiddink was there, Park Ji-sung, who was from Myongji University and had no prestigious academic background, was selected, achieved outstanding results, and made the World Cup semifinals.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: I see. You are saying you will change the very DNA of the Democratic Party from its roots.
[Song Young-gil]: That is correct.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Some people ask whether you are candidate Kim Min-seok's pacemaker or a true "victory maker."
[Song Young-gil]: Yes.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: What do you think?
[Song Young-gil]: Once you register as a candidate, from then on, the public and party members decide. Just as President Lee Jae-myung said that politics is done by the people, not politicians, I will run as a victory maker.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: I think the pro-Chung faction also has such suspicions. "Aren't they playing good cop, bad cop for the pro-Myung faction?" Former Secretary-General Kim Min-seok just talks about policy and nice things, while candidate Song Young-gil takes on the role of fiercely attacking candidate Jung Chung-rae. Is there such a division of labor? Some seem to suspect this.
[Song Young-gil]: No, that's not it.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: I see. Did you see writer Rhyu Si-min's interview?
[Song Young-gil]: I saw it.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Candidate, is this advice to the president, or is it a curse?
[Song Young-gil]: We can just take it as reference. Writers are free spirits, so they can say anything. But what's regrettable is that he did the same during President Kim Dae-jung's time. Writer Rhyu Si-min was the first to argue against Kim Dae-jung's candidacy and supported candidate Cho Soon as the presidential candidate.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Yes.
[Song Young-gil]: At that time, it broke my heart. And back then, he said Lee Hoi-chang was virtually the president and told Kim Dae-jung to step down quickly.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: He said things like that too?
[Song Young-gil]: He did say those things.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Although writer Rhyu Si-min is not a party member, he is still an influential figure within the Democratic Party camp, isn't he?
[Song Young-gil]: Yes.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: But at this timing, he is saying things that, in a way, cross the line. Why do you think he is going this far?
[Song Young-gil]: I don't know what writer Rhyu Si-min's intentions are, but in any case, he might think things aren't going his way.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: The party? And the president?
[Song Young-gil]: Yes. But I think that is an arrogant attitude. President Lee Jae-myung has been suffering from such attacks even before he became president. Why did I fight to protect Lee Jae-myung? It's the same for me, but I was heavily persecuted by the dominant forces during the Moon Jae-in administration. I was the same.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: You too?
[Song Young-gil]: Writer Rhyu Si-min poured curses, saying that if a candidate nominated by Lee Jae-myung became party leader, the party would be ruined.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: He did that the day before yesterday.
[Song Young-gil]: During the Moon Jae-in administration, the forces around the Blue House actively pushed a specific candidate. At that time, I don't remember a single thing writer Rhyu Si-min said. I, Song Young-gil, fought lonely and won.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Then you see this as an attempt by the so-called pro-Moon faction, represented by writer Rhyu Si-min, to shake up both you at the time and the current president to maintain their vested interests?
[Song Young-gil]: Yes. During the last administration, Lee Jae-myung and Song Young-gil were completely excluded. Targets of exclusion. How could the president go to Pyongyang and exclude Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung, who was the head of the largest local government? Wasn't that too much? While taking Mayor Park Won-soon and Gangwon Province Governor Choi Moon-soon with him. Such blatant sidelining was really too much.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: That long-standing movement that shook President Lee Jae-myung since his days as Gyeonggi Governor has continued until now.
[Song Young-gil]: Yes. It feels like—though this is just my own thought—whenever I see President Lee Jae-myung, I am reminded of Shin Dol-seok, the righteous army commander of commoner origin. To the aristocratic activists who graduated from prestigious universities like Seoul National University, Yonsei, and Korea University, like Rhyu Si-min and myself, Lee Jae-myung, who is of commoner origin, passed the qualification exam, worked as a factory boy, graduated from Chung-Ang University, and became a lawyer, is a "nobody." I think there is a basic prejudice against him.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Yes.
[Song Young-gil]: But when I look at the two presidents, Roh Moo-hyun and Lee Jae-myung, I am reminded of General Hong Beom-do and General Shin Dol-seok. Commoners who received no benefits from society, like factory boy Lee Jae-myung and slave Hong Beom-do, took up arms and fought for the country and won. I highly evaluate Lee Jae-myung for that, and I think we must overcome the false consciousness of those of us from prestigious universities.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Then, as you mentioned a while ago, you are saying that there is an underlying attitude of looking down on and belittling the president.
[Song Young-gil]: I believe there is such an aspect. That is my speculation.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Those remarks by writer Rhyu Si-min the day before yesterday as well.
[Song Young-gil]: I think something like that is subconsciously underlying. That is my guess.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Among the things writer Rhyu Si-min said, there was this. The president said a while ago that since the Democratic Party must continue to hold power, it needs to expand its territory to create a "structural majority."
[Song Young-gil]: Yes.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Regarding that, he said that "structural majority" is a term that absolutely cannot exist. I didn't readily understand this, that it cannot exist. How do you see this?
[Song Young-gil]: Yes, I don't really understand it either.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Could the president be dreaming of some kind of political realignment?
[Song Young-gil]: What political realignment? You do political realignment when you are a minority party, but we have an overwhelming majority with 161 seats.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: To reach 200 seats.
[Song Young-gil]: Oh, that's...
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Because looking at writer Rhyu Si-min's remarks yesterday, he seemed to suspect that. Basically, that the president is going beyond extension, beyond reconstruction, and even to redevelopment.
[Song Young-gil]: Then I would like writer Rhyu Si-min to look at what position he took when President Roh Moo-hyun advocated for a grand coalition.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: How was it back then?
[Song Young-gil]: I plan to review that too. I'm curious to find out what he did back then.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: I see. And he also said this: "If the party is controlled by the president, the party will ruin. It must not be controlled. The moment the Democratic Party accepts the control of the president who holds power, the dissolution of that party begins." This is regarding the future relationship between the party and the presidency.
[Song Young-gil]: Yes. If you watch former President Roh Moo-hyun's interview videos, he also said towards the end of his term that the relationship between the party and the presidency needs to be readjusted, after initially calling for their separation. Why? Because the president and the ruling party cannot be separated.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Right.
[Song Young-gil]: Even under our party constitution and rules, the president is granted the right to state opinions on overall party affairs. The president can state opinions. Does everything happen exactly as the president nominates? It is all filtered by the party members. If they agree, it happens, but if the party members don't agree, does it happen just because the president nominated? Since the Democratic Party is a living party, I think we digest it all together.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: What surprised me most among writer Rhyu Si-min's remarks was this part: "The president will definitely fail." He said that, and towards the end, "I am not criticizing for the president to hear, but I am telling the citizens the facts and reality as I see them. Under this premise, I am saying that if the people do not step forward to correct it, there is no way to correct it." This is it.
[Song Young-gil]: Yes.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: "Since the president is on the path to failure, the people should step forward to correct it." What does this mean?
[Song Young-gil]: It's instigating anti-government sentiment.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: That's how you see it?
[Song Young-gil]: It's that kind of thing. So I think that can be a very self-righteous and arrogant perspective. So I don't want to talk about his remarks anymore. Since his stories were not always right and were often wrong, I just take it as reference as a writer's story.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: I see.
[Song Young-gil]: The reason I like the president is that when he speaks, he always says we are not commentators, activists, or people who just make claims, but responsible politicians who must produce practical results and bring them to the public. We are not writers or journalists. A politician is someone who takes responsibility for the results.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: I see. Candidate, how do you see the current situation of the National Convention?
[Song Young-gil]: I think it will go well. Also, this time, they seem to be helping me for no reason.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Rather, writer Rhyu Si-min's recent remarks and the Supreme Council questioning your candidacy registration today...
[Song Young-gil]: Won't the party members step forward saying they need to protect Song Young-gil even more?
[Kim Tae-hyun]: That could be. I see.
[Song Young-gil]: Last time, when I ran for Seoul Mayor, bringing candidate Lee Jae-myung to my Gyeyang district, they disqualified me from the Seoul Mayor strategic nomination to block me.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Was it like that back then too?
[Song Young-gil]: Don't you remember that? So all the "Gaeddal" party members surrounded the party headquarters and shouted, and I was reinstated and was able to run for Seoul Mayor. It really reminds me of that time.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Then you will overcome it again this time.
[Song Young-gil]: Thank you.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: This will probably be the last question. Although the rule setting has finished, at the last moment, the youth supreme council member system fell through.
[Song Young-gil]: If I become the next party leader, I will appoint two youth supreme council members and create a youth special committee. I will do well.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: How should the issue of the supplementary investigation authority be resolved? Will it be an issue in the National Convention?
[Song Young-gil]: It will be an issue, and in the debates, I will consistently argue that if we supplement the right to request supplementary investigations, the concerns will be resolved.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: I see. We will wrap up here today. So far, we have been with Song Young-gil, a candidate for the Democratic Party leadership. Thank you.
[Song Young-gil]: Thank you.
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