Song Young-gil: "Complacency Over Election Victory Is Dangerous; Change Is Essential"

▲ Rep. Song Young-gil of the Democratic Party, after registering his candidacy for party leader

Rep. Song Young-gil, a contender for the Democratic Party leadership, pointed out today (July 19) regarding the results of the June 3 local elections, "The President was very disappointed, yet there is a complacent view among the previous leadership that says, 'We did well, we won, what is the problem?'"

Song made these remarks while meeting with the Honam Fellowship Association at the Democratic Party's Busan Metropolitan City Chapter today, stating, "I have a sense of crisis that if we do not change this time, we will be in big trouble."

This is interpreted as an indirect criticism of former party leader Chung Cheong-rae, who led the local elections and is also a competitor in the party leadership race.

Song said, "Although Mayor Jeon Jae-soo was elected in the local elections, it is regrettable that candidate Ha Jung-woo was defeated in the Busan Buk-gu Gap (parliamentary by-election)," and argued, "If we had brought in the Blue House AI Senior Secretary, whom the President said he would not send, we should have prepared quickly."

Ahead of the last local elections, former leader Chung had publicly requested that Ha Jung-woo, then-Blue House Senior Secretary for AI Future Planning, run in the parliamentary by-election.

At the time, President Lee Jae-myung had told the former senior secretary, "You have a lot of work to do, so you must not fall for this scheme."

Song added, "We lost the Seoul mayoral election at the last minute, and just like soccer, if you do not maintain tension until the end, you cannot win," comparing the situation to "the feeling of England losing (after being overturned) to Argentina (in the World Cup semifinals)."

He continued, "We must create a capable party leadership where the ruling party leader closely discusses policies with the government one by one," emphasizing, "I will build a real Democratic Party that supports the Lee Jae-myung administration."

Song said, "The reason I was able to become a lawmaker at 37 and now, at 64, have the experience of a six-term lawmaker and former Incheon Mayor, is because former President Kim Dae-jung recruited me at a young age and gave me the opportunity," adding, "Now it is my turn to give back."

He further stated, "With the slogan 'No 2030 support, no 2030 presidential election victory,' I will make the Democratic Party a place that the younger generation can trust and turn to again."

(Photo: Yonhap News)

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