Former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok on Aug. 17 declared a bid for Democratic Party leader at the party convention, criticizing that a year of personal politics had caused confusion in party-government cooperation. It was a critique of the system under former leader Jung Chung-rae. Kim pointed to procedural flaws in the merger, prosecution reform, and nomination processes, stressing the need to reorganize the party.
Kim visited Gwangju on the morning of the 6th, paid respects at the May 18 National Cemetery, then moved to the Jeonil Building to announce his candidacy. He said, "Today, with an immense sense of responsibility for the success of state affairs under the Lee Jae-myung administration, I declare my candidacy for Democratic Party leader," adding, "Running for party leader is the product of a heavy sense of responsibility, braced for fierce intraparty debate for the party's future."
At the same time, he took aim at former leader Jung Chung-rae, who led the Democratic Party over the past year. Kim said, "For the past year, the Democratic Party failed to link public support for the president and the government to party support and election results," adding, "The ills of personal politics threw the party and party-government cooperation into confusion."
Kim also said, "At this rate, success in state affairs, a general election victory, and party unity will all be difficult," adding, "The lack of deliberation, lack of debate, procedural shortcomings, and lack of consistency shown in the push for a merger, the discussion of prosecution reform, nominations, and campaign strategy have produced many problems."
He also stressed that he is the party leader who will lead the success of the Lee Jae-myung administration, and that the party must become the driving force of governance. Kim said, "If the Lee Jae-myung administration succeeds, a golden era will open for the Republic of Korea, like the New Deal era in the United States and the welfare-state era in Sweden," adding, "A great transformation led by localities will begin and the industrial map will change."
He added, "At such a historic moment, the party must not become a burden on governance or a source of conflict," saying, "We commend the efforts of the previous leadership from a comradeship perspective, but accountability for results is the basic ethic of politics and parties."
Furthermore, Kim said, "If we are not desperate and rigorous now, we could sink into the swamp of a general election defeat," adding, "With urgent tension and stern rigor, please decide to replace the party leader."
After declaring his candidacy, Kim told reporters that only if he becomes party leader can he help President Lee and successfully lead party-government cooperation. He emphasized, "If I become party leader, the top task will be for the government and the party to cooperate to fully and safely support the issue of locally led growth."