Conflicting Evaluations of the 'Kim Jong-in Regime'... "Good Start" vs "Weakened Fighting Power"

Hataekyung "After Kim Jongin's Emergency Committee, Party Approval Ratings Rose"
Jang Jaewon "Fell into an Incompetent Opposition Party"

Kim Jong-in, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the United Future Party, is speaking at the Emergency Response Committee meeting held at the National Assembly on the 8th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] As Kim Jong-in, the emergency committee chairman leading the reform of the United Future Party, has passed one week since his inauguration, evaluations of him within the party are divided. While some lawmakers praise the start of the "Kim Jong-in regime" as positive, others criticize that the party's fighting power against the ruling party has rather weakened since his appointment.

On the 9th, United Future Party lawmaker Ha Tae-kyung wrote on his Facebook, "The start of the Kim Jong-in regime is good. Let's actively consider youth basic income," adding, "Since Kim Jong-in's emergency committee took office, the party's approval rating has slightly risen, and the Democratic Party's approval rating has fallen."

He analyzed, "The main reason is that the Democratic Party is seen as a backward force rehashing past issues, while the United Future Party is gaining an image as a future force presenting new discourse."

He said, "The Kim Jong-in regime has preempted future discourse such as material freedom and youth basic income," adding, "Of course, within the party, there are criticisms like 'The emergency committee chairman does not fight' and 'Are we heading towards socialism?' Such criticisms are possible."

Then, Ha lawmaker praised, "However, the public sentiment in the 21st general election confirmed that people want an alternative opposition party rather than a combative opposition party," adding, "No matter how many times we shout that the Democratic Party is wrong, if we have no alternatives, people will return to the Democratic Party. Since the Kim Jong-in regime, our party is becoming a fresh alternative opposition party."

On the other hand, lawmaker Jang Je-won has continued to voice harsh criticism toward Chairman Kim.

On the 8th, through his Facebook, he pointed out, "Since Chairman Kim came in, the fighting power against the ruling party has significantly weakened," adding, "We have lost our wildness. In emergency committee meetings, the words 'Moon Jae-in regime' and 'Democratic Party' have completely disappeared."

He continued, "The Yoon Mi-hyang scandal, the excavation of lawmaker Lee Su-jin's tomb, impeachment remarks on judges, re-investigation of the KAL incident, demands for re-investigation of Han Myeong-sook, the Oh Geo-don scandal, Geum Tae-seop controversy, Kim Yo-jong leaflet prevention law, unilateral opening of the National Assembly, and threats to sweep all standing committees. We have fallen into an incompetent opposition party that cannot highlight any of these as issues or inform the public," adding, "Despite countless blunders, abuses, and arbitrariness by the Democratic Party, the emergency committee chairman, who is equivalent to the party leader, has not uttered a single criticism."

Lawmaker Jang criticized, "They just created one committee and left it unattended, turning it into a 'committee of impunity,'" adding, "At this point, progressive media are stepping in to criticize the Democratic Party. It is utterly powerless."

He sarcastically added, "I too have lost the desire to fight against the massive power," adding, "Because if I stay quietly, I am called a reasonable opposition."

On the 7th, lawmaker Jang also criticized Chairman Kim, saying, "Chairman Kim should not beat the drum and play the janggu alone but provide a playground and microphone for the presidential candidates to run together," adding, "The emergency committee should make the players who will compete stand out."

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