Kim Se-yeon: "Each pursuing own interests leads to deeper quagmire... 'Kim Jong-in Emergency Committee' loses momentum"

Kim Se-yeon, member of the Liberty Korea Party. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hye-min] On the 29th, Kim Se-yeon, a member of the Future United Party, criticized, "At this point, I believe the 'Kim Jong-in Emergency Response Committee system' has lost its momentum," adding, "Even in a crisis situation, everyone is immersed in their own private interests, sinking deeper into the quagmire."

On the same day, through YTN radio in the morning, Rep. Kim said, "Right after the crushing defeat in the general election, I thought 'this might not be the end,' and indeed, it seems it is not the end."

He coldly evaluated, "In fact, incidents like the cancellation of the Standing National Committee meeting yesterday are neither strange nor surprising," adding, "In a crisis, everyone should put themselves aside and unite their strength, but everyone is absorbed in their own interests and shows no concern about sinking deeper into the quagmire. This has been the perception shown continuously from before."

He believed that it would be difficult for the 'Kim Jong-in Emergency Response Committee' to proceed as is. Rep. Kim said, "The attitude of not finding common ground and the proposal that no one readily agrees with were approved at the National Committee yesterday," forecasting that the Emergency Response Committee might ultimately be canceled. He added, "If the special clause to hold the party convention and elect new leadership on August 31 is not amended, I think the launch of the 'Kim Jong-in Emergency Response Committee' is off the table," and said, "Among the elected members, if the 21st National Assembly's first floor leader is elected and that person takes on a role equivalent to acting party leader to redraw the plan, it might be possible, but under the current circumstances, the momentum seems to have somewhat been lost."

Regarding reports that former general election committee chairman Kim requested a guaranteed term of about one year, he said, "I haven't heard directly that he said so, but the atmosphere suggests that three to four months is just enough time to fundamentally reorganize the party, which would only amount to the role of a founding convention steering committee," adding, "I think that is why the fundamental improvement period was set to that length."

Rep. Kim analyzed that the reason senior members of the United Party opposed the 'Kim Jong-in Emergency Response Committee' is likely because their personal influence might diminish. He pointed out, "While reform work is underway in the party, those who had prepared various plans for party leadership or other roles feel their space shrinking, which I think is a psychological backlash or a rejection of the inability to exercise their own political leadership."

He emphasized the need to separate the party's functions into parliamentary and extra-parliamentary parties to enable generational change toward the '830 (born in the 80s, in their 30s, enrolled in the 2000s) generation.'

Rep. Kim said, "In the current system where lawmakers concurrently hold major party positions, even if talented individuals in their 30s take on roles, they will be suppressed by existing authority and customs and unable to perform properly," adding, "At least for the 21st National Assembly, functions should be separated." He continued, "The parliamentary party should handle legislation, budget, policy, and other parliamentary matters, while the extra-parliamentary party should manage publicity, strategy, organization, education, and other tasks necessary for winning elections as a party," emphasizing, "If the 30s generation leads this transformation of the extra-parliamentary party, it can be reborn in a form quite different from the current one."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.