Song Young-gil, a candidate for the leadership of the Democratic Party of Korea, criticized former leader Jeong Cheong-rae on July 15, stating that Jeong has diverged from President Lee Jae-myung. He also ruled out any possibility of unification with former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok.
During an appearance on MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus,' Song remarked, "There was no chemistry between the president and the party."
He added, "It seems that Jeong has been contemplating independent politics. It appears he has not been able to separate public and private matters since meeting President Lee when he was a lawyer."
Regarding Jeong's statement during his candidacy announcement that he would not run for president using his position, Song said, "That was unexpected. It is being interpreted as a criticism of President Lee."
Song also emphasized his distinctiveness from Kim Min-seok, stating, "I am the only candidate with administrative experience as a regional governor. The party leader should not be a passive figure following the president but should gather public sentiment and persuade the president."
He firmly stated that there would be no unification with Kim Min-seok due to the introduction of a preference voting system. "The preference voting system will naturally lead to alliances," he said, adding, "If someone withdraws midway, it loses its meaning. We must see it through to the end."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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