Kim Min-seok Hits Back at Rhyu Si-min Over "Rotten Smell" Critique

Writer Rhyu Si-min and former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, a candidate for the Democratic Party leadership, have engaged in a sharp war of words over President Lee Jae-myung's state governance and the party's internal direction.

Appearing on a YouTube channel yesterday, Rhyu claimed that President Lee Jae-myung is likely the actual head of the "New Lee Jae-myung" faction within the Democratic Party.

Rhyu criticized, "I believe President Lee holds a stance against the complete separation of investigative and indicting powers by the prosecution," adding, "The President is at the center of the delays in prosecution reform and the confusion surrounding the Criminal Procedure Act amendment bill."

He went on to emphasize the need to criticize the so-called "New Lee Jae-myung" faction, stating, "Without limits, any fish market is bound to reek of rot. Absolute power corrupts 100%. We must purify it quickly before the stench of rot sets in."

Former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok immediately pushed back against Rhyu's remarks.

Taking to his social media, Kim directly targeted Rhyu's comments, writing, "Comradely language and affectionate perspectives do not include words like 'certain defeat' or 'rotten smell.'"

He also stated, "Politics that crosses the line of commentary by distorting the President's sincerity has even lost restraint and dignity."

Kim further emphasized, "The Democratic Party will overcome both anti-Lee Jae-myung factions and factionalism, and will protect the President and his national agenda to the end."

As a pan-ruling camp commentator and a party leadership contender clash over the direction of prosecution reform, including the abolition of supplementary investigation rights, internal ideological friction within the Democratic Party ahead of the national convention is intensifying.

Reported by Lee Hyeon-yeong | Video by Ahn Jun-hyeok | Design by Yang Hye-min | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.