[Joo Young-jin's News Briefing]

When citing or reporting this interview, please credit the program name 'SBS <Joo Young-jin's News Briefing>'. Copyright belongs to SBS.

■ Broadcast: SBS <Joo Young-jin's News Briefing> Mon – Fri (14:00 – 15:20)
■ Host: Anchor Joo Young-jin
■ Guest: Kim Bo-mi, Democratic Party Leadership Candidate
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● Interview with Kim Bo-mi, Democratic Party Leadership Candidate

"Running to change the Democratic Party with the mindset that 'the Democratic Party cannot go on like this'"
"Youth describe the Democratic Party as 'double standards' and a 'hypocritical, patronizing party'"
"Turning to apathy toward the Democratic Party... the spirit of the times is 'generational change'"
"The golden time has passed, but it must not be delayed further ahead of the general election"
"Currently, the Democratic Party is a party of the 50s and 60s generation... Half of those in their 20s and 30s are unaffiliated and do not support it"
"What have the other candidates done until now... Stop using young people as a backdrop and grant them real authority"
"If elected party leader, will introduce youth Supreme Council member post, fill other appointed positions with youth"
"Extremely difficult to prepare election deposit... Parties should eliminate deposit fees through a publicly funded system"
"Rhyu Si-min's sincerity doesn't resonate... Intervening in election ahead of party convention"
"Illegal party members must be verified... Shincheonji controversy can be resolved through a full-scale investigation"
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▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: We have Kim Bo-mi, candidate for leadership of the Democratic Party of Korea. Welcome. Nice to meet you.

▶ Kim Bo-mi / Democratic Party Leadership Candidate: Nice to meet you.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Could you tell our viewers of Joo Young-jin's News Briefing what kind of politician you are and why you decided to run for party leadership?

▶ Kim Bo-mi / Democratic Party Leadership Candidate: Hello, everyone. I am 36-year-old rank-and-file party member Kim Bo-mi. Although I am young, I have been in politics within the Democratic Party for 13 years, served as a Gangjin County Council member, and was the youngest local council chair in the country. I ran for party leadership to reform the Democratic Party with the determination that "we cannot go on like this, our Democratic Party is in big trouble, and it must change."

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: When you first declared your resolve saying, "No, this won't do; I need to run for party leader and reform our Democratic Party," how did those around you react?

▶ Kim Bo-mi / Democratic Party Leadership Candidate: Many people were deeply worried. They told me things like, "You'll ruin everything, your political career will end, you should stay quiet." But now, on the contrary, elderly members who were initially worried are reaching out and saying, "Go say everything that needs to be said. You must say it all now so the Democratic Party can change." Seeing them empathize so much made me realize that this anger isn't limited to the youth generation. I gain strength knowing that people across all generations share this empathy and offer their support.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: What is the basis for your judgment that "the Democratic Party cannot continue like this, it shouldn't be this way"?

▶ Kim Bo-mi / Democratic Party Leadership Candidate: As a candidate who ran in the primary during the last local election and as a witness who directly witnessed and experienced that unfairness firsthand.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Unfairness.

▶ Kim Bo-mi / Democratic Party Leadership Candidate: I realized we must reform this system within the Democratic Party. And in a way, how do young people describe the Democratic Party today? They call it a party of double standards, hypocrisy, and patronizing old-guards, and now they have mostly turned to complete apathy. This outcome stems from unfairness. Youth are leaving because there is no fairness and no democracy. And because there are no youth, our Democratic Party has no future. That is why I am proclaiming that the spirit of the times is generational change.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: A prime example is that candidates Song Young-gil and Kim Yong stepped forward initially, and an exception was granted for them. To be a dues-paying member, one must have paid party dues for six months and held membership for at least six months. They did not meet this, yet an exception was granted. Do you view this as another case of unfairness, or do you accept that two candidates had special circumstances that justified an exception?

▶ Kim Bo-mi / Democratic Party Leadership Candidate: Of course, the party constitution and rules always specify exception clauses allowing recognition for special cases. However, because those clauses in the party constitution and rules are applied like elastic rubber bands depending on the person and the standard, I pointed out that unfairness. So I was not evaluating or criticizing specific individuals in my remarks. Regarding that point, I previously stated that the process was wrong regarding this unfairness and that the process must be applied equally to everyone.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: You mentioned that young people in their 20s and 30s are turning away from the Democratic Party, mainly because they see it as a party of double standards and patronizing old-guards. Around when do you think that shift started? In my generation, young people were generally on the side of the Democratic Party, and youth votes were Democratic votes, but that has changed. When do you think this trend deepened?

▶ Kim Bo-mi / Democratic Party Leadership Candidate: It has completely changed. It has been changing significantly. Previously, when I met peers of my generation, they would voice complaints and dissatisfaction, saying, "The Democratic Party needs to change this, it's hypocritical, it applies double standards." But now, they don't even want to talk about it. They are simply slipping into total indifference. I am appealing that while the golden window of opportunity is already late, it must not be delayed any further ahead of the general election. As an example, former President Kim Dae-jung recruited young bloods like youth Kim Min-seok and Song Young-gil, didn't he?

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Im Jong-seok, Woo Sang-ho, all of them.

▶ Kim Bo-mi / Democratic Party Leadership Candidate: He recruited them all back then, and they have stayed in power until now. That is why I previously asked in a statement whether they intend to keep monopolizing power through the 686, 886, and 986 generations. Back then, those people were in their 30s. It is fair to say that people in their 30s led South Korean politics. And they have done well up until now. So why don't they trust us now and refuse to yield positions? What's important is that the answer is already clear. What kind of answer? Currently, the Democratic Party is a party of the 50s and 60s generation, judging by approval ratings alone.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: The 50s and 60s.

▶ Kim Bo-mi / Democratic Party Leadership Candidate: Half of those in their 20s and 30s are unaffiliated voters. They do not support us. That is proof that no one has responded to their lives. Yet, when President Kim Dae-jung recruited youth back then, approval ratings among those in their 20s and 30s were highest for the Democratic Party. It was the peak golden era. So isn't the answer already clear right now? We must carry out generational change right now for the Democratic Party to survive. I believe we will survive—and address all these livelihood issues—only if we undergo generational change, prepare for the general election, prepare for the next presidential election, and regain power. But watching them engage only in factional turf wars right now, how frustrating must that be? There is a desperate plea and frustration asking whether we will all perish over immediate turf battles, or whether we should save the Democratic Party.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Then how long can the 86 generation remain the mainstream and the front face of the Democratic Party? It must change. How do you think it should change? What is Candidate Kim Bo-mi's "how"?

▶ Kim Bo-mi / Democratic Party Leadership Candidate: First of all, although I am putting forth many pledges, all the other candidates right now are shouting "youth, youth, we cannot succeed without youth, there is no future without the 2030 generation," to the point where youth seems to be everyone's focus. But have they actually implemented those promises until now? What have they done so far, and can we really trust them? That is how I feel, and because I cannot trust them, I ran for office. I believe we must stop using young people as sidekicks or decorative backdrops, and instead grant them genuine authority. We need to grant authority over everything from budget to policy; what is the use of launching countless committees just to hold meetings? That is why the introduction of the youth Supreme Council member position in our Democratic Party fell through, didn't it? It was derailed. And while constantly chanting "youth, youth," they raised the election deposit fees. That is the reality of our Democratic Party today. They talk about youth only in words, leaving young people no actual opportunity to step up. That is why I want to expand opportunities. If I become party leader, I will immediately introduce a youth Supreme Council member position and appoint young people to all remaining appointed posts. Beyond that, we have a Youth Committee, don't we? The Youth Committee must be given the decision-making authority to determine the party's youth policies.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Give them full authority.

▶ Kim Bo-mi / Democratic Party Leadership Candidate: I am calling for full authority. Just because we call for generational change doesn't mean our senior members will all step down immediately, or that a total overhaul will happen overnight. I believe that if we simply give young people fair opportunities and primary rules based on identical standards, incompetent figures will step aside on their own, natural turnover will occur, and reform will happen naturally.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Your eyes already seem set on the next general election. For the Democratic Party to win in the next general election—the party won landslide victories in the last and second-to-last general elections. But one of the reasons behind those landslide victories was less about the Democratic Party doing something particularly well and more about the circumstances.

▶ Kim Bo-mi / Democratic Party Leadership Candidate: That's right.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Circumstances such as the COVID-19 pandemic situation and missteps by the People Power Party played a role, but for the Democratic Party to win the next general election, your view is that it will be difficult without winning the hearts and votes of the younger generation.

▶ Kim Bo-mi / Democratic Party Leadership Candidate: I am proclaiming that "generational change is the spirit of the times."

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Was it very difficult for you to raise the election deposit?

▶ Kim Bo-mi / Democratic Party Leadership Candidate: In Jeolla dialect, I worked my tongue off—I worked myself to the bone. It was so hard to get the deposit together. I believe the deposit requirement itself presents far too high a barrier for young people.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Has it been lowered a bit?

▶ Kim Bo-mi / Democratic Party Leadership Candidate: It was lowered, but it has nothing to do with the preliminary primary. It feels as if you only receive that benefit if you advance to the main race. When the hurdles and thresholds are already so high, how can anyone challenge it? As President Lee Jae-myung once mentioned, I believe political parties should completely eliminate deposit fees through a publicly funded system.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Smaller parties, like the Progressive Party, are doing just that, aren't they?

▶ Kim Bo-mi / Democratic Party Leadership Candidate: Right.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: There shouldn't be any reason the Democratic Party can't do it, right?

▶ Kim Bo-mi / Democratic Party Leadership Candidate: I know the party collects a tremendous amount in membership dues, but I don't know where or how it's being spent. It breaks my heart to see the wall of opportunity raised so high.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: The rationale was to prevent a flood of candidates—that's why the deposit system was introduced, so that too many people wouldn't keep running.

▶ Kim Bo-mi / Democratic Party Leadership Candidate: Did that many people run? We are currently proceeding with a preferential voting system, yet attempting to cut off to three candidates is absurd and contradictory in my view. I believe preferential voting and cutoffs are incompatible.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Candidate Kim Bo-mi, what do you think about author Rhyu Si-min's remarks? Are you critical?

▶ Kim Bo-mi / Democratic Party Leadership Candidate: Anyone can offer criticism as a citizen. But why at this specific time? And what doesn't resonate about what he said is that he implied he felt hurt or disappointed because someone didn't call him. What is that? And now, with the election party convention underway—

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: If it weren't for the national convention, he wouldn't have said such things.

▶ Kim Bo-mi / Democratic Party Leadership Candidate: He hadn't said anything until now. He stayed silent until now, but is intervening in the election ahead of the national convention. If young people speak out about raised deposit fees, he could talk about issues like that. Instead of speaking about youth livelihoods and people's lives, he is making comments that are completely detached and out of touch, so his sincerity doesn't resonate.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Author Rhyu Si-min is viewed as a very influential voice, a big loudspeaker within the Democratic Party and the ruling camp. When he speaks, it reverberates, but—

▶ Kim Bo-mi / Democratic Party Leadership Candidate: Hasn't that faded significantly by now? One cannot help but question why now, at this exact moment. While expressing opinions is fine...

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: The Shincheonji allegations raised by candidate Kim Min-seok have intensified into a confrontation with candidate Jung Chung-rae and become a major issue. What are your thoughts and principle regarding these alleged ties to Shincheonji?

▶ Kim Bo-mi / Democratic Party Leadership Candidate: When it comes to illegal party members, I am the original whistleblower. I have consistently called this out since the last primary. Proxy members, ghost members, unidentifiable members, illegal members—in a sense, all of these must be thoroughly verified.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: You raised it, but there was no response from the party?

▶ Kim Bo-mi / Democratic Party Leadership Candidate: No response at all.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: During the last local election.

▶ Kim Bo-mi / Democratic Party Leadership Candidate: During the last local election, the party disciplined several candidates for recruiting illegal party members. That means the party itself acknowledged the existence of illegal party members. Yet without conducting a comprehensive investigation or filtering out those illegal members, they pushed forward to let candidates be selected using those illegal party members. So they forced the election through with unidentifiable ghost members and proxy members—illegal members where no one even knows how many mobile phone names exist under one identity or how many people are registered under a single address. And now, this Democratic Party primary is repeating the exact same pattern. It is repeating, and now those fake members are going so far as to elect the party leader. How can something like this happen? I believe a full-scale investigation must be conducted. Right now, people are holding press conferences and making a scene over whether it's Shincheonji or not, but why push through obstinately instead of doing a full investigation when that would settle it? This makes me so angry. This is the absolute basics. This is true party member sovereignty. Reclaiming this is what genuine party member sovereignty means. I am announcing pledges to turn fake "one-person, one-vote" systems and fake party member sovereignty into real ones.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Listening to you now, while former party leader Jung Chung-rae spoke of party member sovereignty and described "one-person, one-vote" as a major achievement he personally accomplished, Candidate Kim Bo-mi seems quite critical of it.

▶ Kim Bo-mi / Democratic Party Leadership Candidate: I think "one-person, one-vote" is fake—a fraud. The party itself admitted illegality. Even in the last primary, they disciplined people for raising illegal funds. So why won't they admit it?

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Isn't it illegal in itself that those you refer to as illegal party members get to cast a vote just like anyone else?

▶ Kim Bo-mi / Democratic Party Leadership Candidate: It is illegal. While everyone is talking about Shincheonji and so on, proxy members are illegal party members regardless. Recruiting people by proxy regardless of their own intent is illegal in itself. All they need to do is run a full investigation. If they hand this over to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, wouldn't it be sorted out in no time? The Agricultural Cooperative (NongHyup) and other banks manage far larger numbers of customers. There is no reason it can't be done. They are simply choosing not to do it. Why? In my view, the establishment is continuing to exploit this as a means to cling to power one more time. Why won't they run a full investigation? And crucially, our Democratic Party does not disclose primary results. When I pay my hard-earned blood money—money I worked myself to the bone to get—to run in a primary, they should at least reveal the primary results. Neither the voters nor the candidates themselves are informed.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Isn't their argument that they can't reveal them because it might affect the main primary?

▶ Kim Bo-mi / Democratic Party Leadership Candidate: How much could it possibly affect the main primary? Unless it sways victory or defeat directly, they ought to show it.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: That point makes sense as well.

▶ Kim Bo-mi / Democratic Party Leadership Candidate: Right. And I am doing this with my own money. Why shouldn't they tell us? Even when we commission a public opinion poll on our own...

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: It's "my money, my election"—paying your own money to run your own election.

▶ Kim Bo-mi / Democratic Party Leadership Candidate: When I commission a survey with my own money, they provide detailed breakdowns by township, gender, and voter demographics. So keeping primary results secret makes no sense to me. Disclosing primary results is another of my campaign pledges. My pledge is to make the party transparent, tear down all behind-closed-doors, blind nominations, and let party members and the public see everything.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: During this election campaign, candidate Song Young-gil spoke loudly in front of everyone, which left people wondering how such a thing could happen. Did he apologize or express regret afterward, or how did that go?

▶ Kim Bo-mi / Democratic Party Leadership Candidate: There hasn't been anything like that yet. What I also find problematic is that in the Democratic Party, even after I paid a massive deposit of 10 million won to enter the primary, the time given to us was practically just four days.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Four days up to today for the preliminary primary.

▶ Kim Bo-mi / Democratic Party Leadership Candidate: Without holding a single debate, we only had one video recording session. With no time for debates, how can there be time to talk and share our visions or policies? So this in itself is a problem. Guaranteeing at least debates is another of my campaign pledges.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: We must wrap up the interview now. There were so many things I wanted to ask, but time is short. However, I believe we will be able to meet often in the future.

▶ Kim Bo-mi / Democratic Party Leadership Candidate: I will keep going until the end.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: There is still a little time left before the preliminary primary results are announced today for viewers of Joo Young-jin's News Briefing. I will give you about 30 seconds for your final remarks.

▶ Kim Bo-mi / Democratic Party Leadership Candidate: There is so much I want to say. I truly believe that party member sovereignty is paramount. My firm conviction is that to reclaim party member sovereignty, party dues paid by members must be 100% disclosed—where, to whom, and how they are spent. People often disparage civil servants as "rice bowls" [unassailable jobs]. When young local councilors and candidates gather, we talk about how the cartel of party officials' "rice bowls" must truly be broken up. The party's budget comes from our membership dues and government subsidies, yet it is kept private. This is a huge issue, and I believe political parties must transparently disclose everything because it is our taxpayers' money. So this is also part of my pledges. During this short period, I received encouragement from many people, as well as an immense amount of criticism. Experiencing camp logic firsthand, what I truly feel first, second, and third is that the public comes first, and party members come first. Lately, people have even dug up past photos to attack me. Watching all these attacks and nonsensical outbursts fly simply because I allegedly defamed the candidate they support—without looking at the essence of my statements—made me feel that people should look into the core of the issue. I deeply hope that people evaluate and critique candidates based on their qualifications and policies rather than factions or camp logic, so that we can engage in discussions based on pledges and policies moving forward.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Understood. I believe many viewers will relate to Candidate Kim Bo-mi's statements. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

▶ Kim Bo-mi / Democratic Party Leadership Candidate: Thank you for having me.