Kim Min-seok, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, said on the 14th regarding Gyeonggi Gov. Choo Mi-ae's criticism of President Lee Jae-myung, "This is a time when we should rally our strength, but isn't this moving toward a situation similar to the harbinger when forces inside and outside joined hands to try to impeach President Roh Moo-hyun at a time when he needed to settle in?" The remark is being interpreted as likening the exposure of conflict within the ruling bloc to the early days of the Roh Moo-hyun administration.
Appearing on "Democratic Party TV" that morning, Kim spoke after critical comments about Gov. Choo mounted in YouTube comments, saying, "If people had done a blind test and heard that remark, how would they have assessed it?" He added, "If told it was a remark by a responsible Democratic Party politician or a provincial governor, people would have wondered, 'Is this right?'" He continued, "Why she said that seems to require her own explanation," and said, "I felt it was highly likely people would not have thought it was a remark by a senior member of the Democratic Party in general."
He was voicing a critical stance over Gov. Choo's comment on the 12th at the Morang Park cemetery for democrats and martyrs in Namyangju, Gyeonggi, where she said, "The president must punish insurrectionary forces, so why is he being carried by insurrectionary forces and fretting?"
In part two, featuring Do-ol Kim Yong-ok, Kim continued remarks aimed at Gov. Choo. Kim said, "This is the time to rally strength, give support, and retie our shoelaces," adding, "In a way, isn't this moving toward a situation similar to the harbinger of the period when forces inside and outside joined hands to try to impeach President Roh Moo-hyun during his first year as he was settling in?"
He added, "When people on the outside do that, I can let it be, but there are times when I find it a bit absurd," and said, "I felt that now is the time to be fully alert and for everyone to rally together."
Kim also stated a position on former nominee Yong Hye-in for Minister of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, who the previous day expressed an intention to step down.
On Yong's resignation, Kim said, "Holding a proportional representation seat concurrently is not illegal, as Yong said," but added, "However, as a matter of custom and common sense, it is usual to give up one, so separate from whether it matches the law, there were opinions among the public."
He continued, "Since there were opinions that (concurrent holding) didn't seem right, I think it is highly likely that such a judgment was presupposed and there was a recommendation," adding, "In any case, public opinion is important." He then stressed that legal standards are not everything in personnel judgments. Kim said, "In personnel judgments, we don't do it only by the law, do we?" and added, "Half in jest and half in earnest, isn't there also the public sentiment above the law?"
He added, "I respect that judgment and see that, realistically, for now a decision was made based on that judgment," and said, "I think it was judged that it would not help the person either."