Kim Yong, Close Aide to President Lee Jae-myung, Announces Bid for Supreme Council Member: "I Will Lead Clear Innovation in the Democratic Party"

Kim Yong, former deputy director of the Institute for Democracy and a close aide to President Lee Jae-myung, announced his candidacy for the Supreme Council in the August 17 national convention, stating, "I will break the outdated grammar of Yeouido and lead clear innovation in the Democratic Party."

During a press conference at the National Assembly today (July 8), Kim said, "We must transform the energy of conflict into the power of integration and positivity, and present a future direction for the irreversible great transformation that the Democratic Party must pursue."

Kim emphasized, "As the ruling party, our Democratic Party is showing limitations in its role during this golden time when we must drive the development of a rapidly changing Republic of Korea. The frustration of party members and the public is growing because the party's legislative support is failing to keep pace with the dazzling speed of innovation under the Lee Jae-myung administration. Things must change now."

He further promised, "I will establish the success of the Lee Jae-myung administration as the unwavering top priority for the Democratic Party," adding, "I will become the strongest and most efficient engine connecting the party and the government."

He put forward several campaign pledges, including a direct election system by party members for proportional representation lawmakers, reflecting party member evaluations in the nomination process for National Assembly members, limiting candidates to no more than three consecutive terms in the same district, and establishing a party audit committee.

"I, Kim Yong, an ordinary party member, will become the strongest and warmest bridge connecting the party, the government, and the party members," he added. "I will make the success of the Lee Jae-myung administration my supreme task and become a person for all party members from beginning to end."

When asked by reporters after the press conference about his legal risks, Kim stated, "As the facts revealed during last year's parliamentary audit and the parliamentary investigation into fabricated indictments prove, my indictment was false from beginning to end." He added, "I will confidently move forward, trusting in our party members."

Meanwhile, prior to Kim's announcement, other candidates who have declared their bids for the Supreme Council include three-term lawmaker Kim Young-ho, first-term lawmakers Park Sun-won and Lee Geon-tae, former Military Human Rights Center secretary-general Kim Hyung-nam, and Policy Committee vice-chair Jeong Min-cheol.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.