Kim Hae-young: "The ruling party must sincerely admit to the people when they have made mistakes" Final harsh criticism

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Wondara] Kim Haeyoung, a senior member of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) who had taken on the role of delivering 'harsh truths' within the party, said in his final Supreme Council remarks, "We must sincerely admit to the people when we have done wrong."

On the 28th, Kim posted on Facebook, "Since we could not hold the final Supreme Council meeting due to COVID-19, I would like to use my last remarks to focus on the regrets I have as a leader of the ruling party over the past two years," he said.

Kim said, "There are regrets regarding how we dealt with mistakes or wrongdoings," adding, "We should sincerely admit to the people when we have done wrong, but it seems the leadership lacked in this regard." He continued, "Neither individuals nor parties can be perfect; anyone can make mistakes or do wrong. I believe that if we honestly admit our mistakes, the public will generally understand. If, despite honest admission, the public cannot understand, then we must take responsibility for that part."

He also pointed to the 'Cho Kuk incident' as an unresolved issue from the previous leadership. Kim said, "First, regarding the former Minister Cho Kuk, there was significant conflict and division among the people, and the national conflict from that time still lingers beneath the surface. The party regrettably failed to properly mediate and resolve this national conflict at that time." Referring to prosecutorial reform, he said, "It is certainly a task that must be pursued. However, considering the urgent need to overcome the COVID-19 crisis and address various livelihood issues, priorities must be set appropriately."

Kim stated, "Once the resurgence of COVID-19 subsides, the National Assembly should also pay attention to constitutional amendment issues." He added, "For example, young people today, who find it difficult to buy a home by saving their salaries, would want the constitution to guarantee housing rights with a clearer commitment." He also said, "The core of youth issues is the growing gap in our society. Ultimately, reducing this gap is key to solving youth problems, and I feel responsible for not having reduced social disparities during my term."

Kim also expressed regret, saying, "I am sorry that we did not achieve clear results regarding balanced national development during the leadership term."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, Kim explained the reason he took on the role of delivering harsh truths, saying, "Even if my views differ from the party's mainstream opinions, boldly expressing minority opinions is the way to expand the party's diversity, and I believe this benefits both the entire public and the party." Kim, a lawyer by profession, was elected as the youngest member of the Democratic Party at age 39 in the 20th general election. He was elected as a Supreme Council member at the 2018 Democratic Party convention and has been active since. In the last general election, he ran for the National Assembly seat in Yeonje-gu, Busan, a difficult district for the Democratic Party and his own constituency, but was defeated.

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