[Democratic Party National Convention] Lee Nak-yeon 'Regime Re-creation' · Kim Boo-kyum 'Responsible Party' · Park Joo-min 'Complete Reform'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporters Kang Nahum and Jeon Jinyoung] The '8·29 Party Convention' to elect the next leadership of the Democratic Party of Korea was held on the afternoon of the 29th at the Yeouido Central Party Office. Democratic Party presidential candidates Lee Nak-yeon, Kim Boo-kyum, and Park Jumin each presented their policies and visions in their final speeches, appealing for last-minute support.

Candidate Lee, who was the first to deliver his speech, stated, "I will definitely recreate the administration, succeeding, complementing, and advancing the Moon Jae-in government." Due to being in self-quarantine as a close contact of a COVID-19 case, he delivered his speech via a pre-recorded video.

Lee appealed, "I started as a member of the National Assembly through the recommendation and nomination of President Kim Dae-jung, served as spokesperson for President Roh Moo-hyun, and was the first Prime Minister under President Moon Jae-in, becoming the longest-serving Prime Minister since democratization." He added, "Now, I will help the party successfully conclude the Moon Jae-in administration."

He pledged, "I will expand the party's role in relation to the government. I will expand and strengthen the party's Policy Committee to ensure that the people's demands are more accurately reflected in government policies," and "I will communicate and cooperate more closely with the Blue House. If necessary, I will meet the President anytime to convey the opinions of the people and the party."

He emphasized, "The regular National Assembly session will begin in three days and continue for four months until the end of the year. Those four months are not ordinary months. They are four months that will determine whether we overcome the national crisis before it is too late, and whether the Moon Jae-in government will successfully conclude."

Regarding the economic crisis caused by the resurgence of COVID-19, Lee promised, "We must urgently help socially vulnerable groups such as workers, self-employed, small business owners, the elderly, and the disabled. We must also support small and medium-sized enterprises," and "I will immediately discuss support measures and timing with the government."

He urged, "Bipartisan cooperation in politics is desperately needed for quarantine and socio-economic support," and appealed to the opposition, "Please cooperate with quarantine and socio-economic support. Especially, please persuade forces that have maintained friendly relations with the opposition to cooperate with quarantine efforts."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Candidate Kim, the second speaker, emphasized, "The time has come to elevate the values of the Democratic Party to the values of the Republic of Korea," asserting that he is the right person to raise those values.

Kim said, "Why did the people give us 180 seats in the last general election? It means that they no longer expect anything from forces that only shout the voices of reactionary and regressive hardline conservatives, but want the Democratic Party to raise the level of the Republic of Korea significantly."

He continued, "Let's make the values of the Democratic Party the standard of the Republic of Korea. Now is the time for the 'Together' spirit of the Democratic Party of Korea," adding, "Our party has the responsibility to overcome COVID-19, resolve social polarization, and complete reform tasks." He stressed, "We must fulfill that responsibility, support the success of the Moon Jae-in government, and definitely recreate the administration."

Kim also said, "A good party in this era is a 'national party' loved evenly across the country, a 'responsible party' that completes constitutional amendments, reforms power institutions, and relocates the administrative capital, and an 'inclusive party' that embraces socially vulnerable and politically marginalized groups," urging, "To fulfill the mission of party innovation, we must unite all our strength."

He said, "As the ruling party, we have considered what vision we should have after COVID-19 and how to fulfill the tasks and responsibilities of the Republic of Korea," and added, "The vision and values our Democratic Party should pursue are resolving polarization, building a solid welfare network, ensuring public safety, and achieving peace on the Korean Peninsula."

He added, "We must become a responsible party that establishes new operating principles including constitutional amendments and reforms of national power institutions, completes the relocation of the administrative capital, and an inclusive party that embraces socially vulnerable and politically marginalized groups."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Finally, candidate Park, who took the podium last, appealed, "Some say I am young and inexperienced, but new eras and new paths require more imagination and challenge."

He said, "I believe the people gave us 176 seats to fight the real battle that shows a future blueprint by solving long-standing issues beyond immediate tasks like prosecutorial reform," adding, "I want to build a strong party, create a good society, and fight the real battle to change the era."

Park emphasized, "We can create a miracle of era change with the Democratic Party that moves together with party members and the people. Politics is needed more than ever. At a time when the people are suffering more than ever, the Democratic Party must achieve a miraculous feat of opening a new era with sweat and tears."

He said, "The elderly poverty rate and suicide rate are among the highest in the world. Inequality and competition are severe, and it is difficult to have and raise even one child. If we leave these problems as they are, we have no future," adding, "Politics is needed more than ever. At a time when the people are struggling, the Democratic Party must achieve a miraculous feat of opening a new era with sweat and tears."

Park said, "The more party members stand at the center and unite, the stronger the party becomes. To build a strong party, we must strengthen party members' rights and enhance communication between the party and its members. I will build a strong party through a party New Deal."

He also said, "I will carry out reform tasks entrusted by the people together with them. I will carry out reform tasks such as prosecutorial and power institution reforms, media system improvement, and making the National Assembly work more effectively, communicating with the people without wavering," adding, "Reforms always face attacks and resistance. But our party has 3 million members. If one member persuades 10 people, we can persuade 30 million people. If we persuade well, we can carry out reform tasks despite any attacks and resistance."

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