Kim Jong-cheol, a former senior member of the Reform Party, dismissed allegations of a merger with the Democratic Party on September 1, calling it a "malicious frame" aimed at portraying former leader Lee Jun-seok as abandoning the party for personal gain.
During his appearance on KBS Radio's 'Intensive Current Affairs,' Kim stated, "The merger rumors are merely the talk of gossipers or those looking to tarnish reputations; they are impossible and not worth considering." He emphasized that merging with the Democratic Party would dilute the Reform Party's criticisms of the current government, making it unfeasible.
Regarding speculation about an alliance with the People Power Party, Kim acknowledged the need for the opposition to unite in criticizing the ruling party's mistakes but clarified, "We are not at a stage to discuss this concretely, nor have we done so."
He also highlighted that there were no significant conflicts or disputes within the party following Lee's resignation, countering claims of disagreements over focusing on the southern Gyeonggi region in the upcoming general elections. "It is not true to say there were differing opinions without having discussions or creating an active forum," he asserted.
Looking ahead, Kim believes the party must seek realistic solutions to overcome challenges as a third-party entity, stressing the need for introspection on how to strengthen itself before the upcoming elections.
On the recent cabinet reshuffle by President Lee Jae-myung, he pointed out issues related to compensating those who ran in elections and raised concerns about the nominations of candidates for the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and the Ministry of Justice. He remarked, "The biggest problem is that Lee Jae-myung has not given up on the dream of canceling his indictment."
He predicted that the upcoming confirmation hearings would lead to significant confrontations, ultimately inflicting considerable damage on the administration, stating, "The intention behind the personnel changes will soon become apparent to the public."
During his appearance on KBS Radio's 'Intensive Current Affairs,' Kim stated, "The merger rumors are merely the talk of gossipers or those looking to tarnish reputations; they are impossible and not worth considering." He emphasized that merging with the Democratic Party would dilute the Reform Party's criticisms of the current government, making it unfeasible.
Regarding speculation about an alliance with the People Power Party, Kim acknowledged the need for the opposition to unite in criticizing the ruling party's mistakes but clarified, "We are not at a stage to discuss this concretely, nor have we done so."
He also highlighted that there were no significant conflicts or disputes within the party following Lee's resignation, countering claims of disagreements over focusing on the southern Gyeonggi region in the upcoming general elections. "It is not true to say there were differing opinions without having discussions or creating an active forum," he asserted.
Looking ahead, Kim believes the party must seek realistic solutions to overcome challenges as a third-party entity, stressing the need for introspection on how to strengthen itself before the upcoming elections.
On the recent cabinet reshuffle by President Lee Jae-myung, he pointed out issues related to compensating those who ran in elections and raised concerns about the nominations of candidates for the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and the Ministry of Justice. He remarked, "The biggest problem is that Lee Jae-myung has not given up on the dream of canceling his indictment."
He predicted that the upcoming confirmation hearings would lead to significant confrontations, ultimately inflicting considerable damage on the administration, stating, "The intention behind the personnel changes will soon become apparent to the public."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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