Song Young-gil, a Democratic Party of Korea leadership contender, sharply criticized his rival, former Chair Jung Chung-rae.
On the 15th, appearing on MBC Radio's "Kim Jong-bae's Focus," Rep. Song called former Chair Jung's remark about not fielding a candidate in Pyeongtaek-eul "a very irresponsible comment," adding, "It's like telling your own son, I should have had you aborted but I gave birth." He added, "Kim Yong-nam is currently the district head; what happens to the party members who supported him?"
In an interview on Kim Ou-joon's News Factory the day before, former Chair Jung suggested the party should not have fielded a candidate in Pyeongtaek-eul. Citing this, Rep. Song said, "It's cowardly and not the posture of a leader," adding, "He should have persuaded Cho Kuk to run in Busan."
Rep. Song criticized each of former Chair Jung's remarks. Regarding Jung's line that "administrations are short, but the people are eternal," he said, "That's what an opposition leader says when attacking a president," adding, "I was dumbfounded to hear it came from the leader of the ruling party. This is an administration forged while taking blows to the head with a sledgehammer, so it pained me greatly."
Rep. Song said, "(Former Chair Jung's) efforts to back and promote the president's governance kept falling out of sync," adding, "There was no visible chemistry of mutual give-and-take between the president and the party, and things were out of step."
He said, "It seems Jung Chung-rae was contemplating an independent, self-driven politics," adding, "Both Jung Chung-rae and I became lawmakers before President Lee Jae-myung. Perhaps there's a mindset from back then that slightly looks down on the president. That's there implicitly."
Rep. Song cited as his differentiator that he alone among the five party leader candidates has experience as a metropolitan mayor/governor. He said, "I know firsthand the loneliness and solitude of President Lee Jae-myung as an executive decision-maker," adding, "A passive follower of the president should not become leader; the leader must faithfully absorb public sentiment. Based on public sentiment, one should persuade the president where needed and present alternatives."
Rep. Song said that if he becomes leader, he will appoint two young supreme council members. He also reaffirmed his intention to complete the race. He said, "With the preferential voting system, if you mark No. 1 and No. 2, a coalition forms naturally," adding, "If you withdraw midway, it disappears. You must finish the race."