Kim Yong, former deputy head of the Institute for Democracy, who was excluded from the Democratic Party of Korea's list for strategic nominations, said he would accept the party's decision.
Kim held a news conference at the National Assembly on the afternoon of the 28th and said, "I take seriously the decision made by the Strategic Nomination Management Committee," adding, "I respect the committee's deliberation and strategic judgment and will return to the ranks."
However, Kim said, "The indictment against me is a clear fabrication by political prosecutors and a petty act of political retaliation," adding, "If I collapse here, it will set a precedent in which the fabricated investigation prevails."
He added, "I will never stop and will prove it to the end," and said, "For the success of the Lee Jae-myung administration, I will devote myself from the lowest place."
Immediately after the news conference, Kim met with reporters about his next steps and said, "I haven't thought it through in detail, but I will find what I should do and do it," adding, "As an active politician, I intend to continue in politics." He added, "If the leadership requests it, I will consult and play a role that helps."
Earlier, the Democratic Party of Korea on the 27th announced the results of its strategic nominations for the Gyeonggi region in the by-elections held alongside the June 3 local elections, nominating former Gangwon governor Lee Kwang-jae in Hanam A, former lawmaker Kim Yong-nam in Pyeongtaek B, and former lawmaker Kim Nam-kuk in Ansan A.
Kim had consistently expressed his intention to run in the Gyeonggi region, and more than 60 lawmakers within the party also argued for his nomination, calling him a "victim of prosecutorial fabricated indictment," but he was excluded from the strategic nominations.
Cho Seung-rae, the Democratic Party secretary-general, said shortly after the strategic nominations were announced the previous day regarding the background of excluding Kim, "There were opinions inside and outside the party that he should be given a chance, but we judged it inappropriate after comprehensively considering the impact on the overall election," adding, "It is also difficult to consider nominating him in another district."