Kim Min-seok, a former prime minister and a contender for the Democratic Party of Korea's next leadership, aimed at former Chair Jung Chung-rae and said it is hard to find a need to serve consecutive terms as party leader. He also stressed that the ruling party should be able to embrace rational conservatives and moderates.
According to political circles on the 1st, the former prime minister said in an interview with OhmyNews the previous day, "This is a time that calls for leadership with a different color, capability, style, and strengths than the former chair," adding, "It is hard to find any need or inevitability right now for (the former chair) to serve two terms as party leader in the same way as before."
He went on, "In Korea's presidential system, the president is at the center of state affairs, and the role of the ruling party that supports the president's policy direction is very important," and added, "On that point, I would say I am the best fit."
Regarding President Lee Jae-myung's praise that he "produced many results with outstanding leadership," the former prime minister said, "It was overly lavish praise. The president and I often talk about philosophy and the spirit of the times," adding, "In that respect, even without parsing every single point, there was one thing where our overall direction, flow, and sense of history were so aligned that we didn't even need to compare notes, and there was a consensus."
As for escalating infighting among Democratic Party supporters ahead of the Aug. 17 national convention, he said, "(If you look closely) there aren't many core flashpoints of conflict," and emphasized, "We must embrace rational reformists, progressives, conservatives, and moderates."
On former Roh Moo-hyun Foundation Director Yu Si-min's recent "reconstruction theory," he said, "There are many parts I cannot agree with. Whether in a panel format or a forum, I would like to have a venue where we can hear all the challenges, respond to them, and discuss," adding, "We need to go through a process of clarifying the facts and making corrections."