In the lead-up to the Democratic Party's convention in August, Kim Yong, former vice president of the Democratic Research Institute, along with lawmakers Kim Young-ho and Lee Geon-tae, have announced their candidacies for the party's Supreme Council. They emphasized their commitment to supporting the success of the Lee Jae-myung administration and fostering unity within the party, criticizing the past year under former leader Jeong Cheong-rae for failing to adequately support the government.
Kim Yong, known as a close aide to President Lee Jae-myung, held a press conference on the morning of July 8 at the National Assembly to declare his candidacy. He stated, "The rapid pace of innovation in this government has not been matched by timely legislative support from the party, leading to growing frustration among party members and the public." He pledged to be the most effective engine connecting the party and the government.
In a subsequent conversation with reporters, Kim highlighted his communication skills as a key asset, asserting that if elected to the Supreme Council, he would serve as a bridge between the party and the government.
Addressing Jeong Cheong-rae, who is likely to seek re-election as party leader, Kim remarked, "While the president has achieved several successes over the past year, we failed to gain public support in the local elections. Ultimately, this has led to a decline in approval ratings for both the president and the party. As the face of the leadership, Jeong cannot escape criticism for not adequately supporting the Lee administration."
In addition to Kim Yong, Kim Young-ho, who expressed his intention to run for the Supreme Council on June 25, stated, "We must lead the remaining four years of this government to success with the competence expected of the ruling party and march confidently toward winning the next general election and reclaiming power." He called for unifying the divided party sentiment.
Kim urged party members to set aside mutual accusations and support each other, saying, "Under the Democratic Party's banner, we must forge a path of unity like a melting pot." He added, "I will work to replace the outdated discourse of the party by leading the ongoing judicial reform and engaging the youth. I will dedicate all my efforts to making the Democratic Party larger, stronger, and victorious."
Lee Geon-tae, a lawyer involved in the 'Daejang-dong case,' also announced his candidacy for the Supreme Council on July 6, emphasizing his connection to President Lee. He proposed establishing a thorough one-team system between the government and the party to maximize governance momentum.
Lee stated, "There will be no more dissonance. I will ensure a perfect integration of the party and government to drive stability and success for the administration." He also indicated plans to push for a 'Mega Special Zone Act' as a party initiative to support the three major mega-projects the president has proposed.
He concluded by asserting, "I will perfectly conclude judicial and prosecutorial reforms, completing the administration's pursuit of judicial justice, and I will become a frontline attacker to strongly secure governance success and reclaim power under Lee Jae-myung's shield."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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