[The Editors' Verdict] Why Lee Nak-yeon Raised the 'Kim Jong-in Presidential Ambition Theory'

[Asia Economy Jeong Wanju, Deputy Director and Political Chief] If Democratic candidate Joe Biden wins the U.S. presidential election this November, he will become the oldest president in American history.

Biden, born in 1942, is 77 years old. Donald Trump, the incumbent president who is now in the position of chasing in the election race, is 74 years old. Although the age difference is only a few years, President Trump uses Biden's advanced age as a point of attack to try to reverse the tide. If Biden wins the November election, he will be over 80 years old during his term. If he succeeds in re-election and completes his term, he will be in his mid-80s.

The reason for suddenly bringing up the age of U.S. presidential candidates is due to the unexpected spark of the 'Kim Jong-in Daemangron' (Kim Jong-in's presidential ambition theory). Lee Nak-yeon, who became the leader of the Democratic Party, made a meaningful remark ahead of his meeting with Kim Jong-in, the Emergency Committee Chairman of the United Future Party, on the 1st. In a radio interview, when asked about the Kim Jong-in Daemangron, he responded as if he had been waiting for the question, saying "There is a possibility."

Until now, the political circles have mostly been negative about the speculation that Chairman Kim would run as a candidate in the next presidential election. Chairman Kim himself dismissed the possibility due to his advanced age. Born in 1940, he is 80 years old by Korean age this year. Therefore, Chairman Kim's role has been established as the 'kingmaker' of the United Future Party.

Why did Leader Lee, who surely knows this, bring up the veteran politician's presidential ambition theory? Formally, it appears to be a 'response.' Chairman Kim, at a luncheon meeting with the press corps in June, asked rhetorically, "Who in our party is a presidential candidate?" and praised Lee Nak-yeon by saying, "The only candidate in politics currently is Representative Lee Nak-yeon."

Leader Lee repeatedly emphasized that if he were elected party leader, he would first visit Chairman Kim to greet him. Their long-standing relationship likely played a role. In fact, at the introductory meeting that day, Leader Lee bowed 90 degrees to Chairman Kim in greeting. The two then seemingly by prior agreement effectively reached a consensus on the selective payment of the second disaster relief fund and the formulation of the fourth supplementary budget. They also fully opened the possibility of bipartisan cooperation.

So, did Leader Lee stir up the presidential ambition theory to pave the way for bipartisan cooperation? Probably not. It is more likely that it contains a high-level political calculation and implication.

For Leader Lee to become a presidential candidate, he must first surpass Lee Jae-myung, the Governor of Gyeonggi Province, who has been rapidly rising recently. In that regard, the controversy surrounding the method of distributing the second disaster relief fund is a point of interest.

The fact that both Lee Nak-yeon and Kim Jong-in agreed on selective payment of the relief fund at their meeting is significant. On the other hand, Governor Lee Jae-myung persistently advocates for universal payment to all citizens. This is a subtle point. At first glance, it seems like they are united in voice for bipartisan cooperation, but it can also be seen as an indirect offensive against Governor Lee. Politics often hides sharp daggers in unseen places rather than showing direct attacks, as it can deliver a heavier impact.

Leader Lee is on the verge of achieving the first success in opening the door to bipartisan cooperation through his meeting with Chairman Kim. This contrasts with Governor Lee Jae-myung, who seems to be fighting a lonely battle in a barren field. At the same time, Leader Lee hinted that Chairman Kim could be a rival in the next presidential election. It can also be interpreted as an attempt by Leader Lee, already backed by the presidential ambition theory, to establish a 'Daemangron vs. Daemangron' structure between the ruling and opposition camps.

Since there is no clear presidential candidate in the opposition camp currently, the Kim Jong-in Daemangron has ample room to be circulated. If the elderly Biden candidate is inaugurated as U.S. president, the age issue may also be submerged.

This is the circumstance that makes Leader Lee's seemingly sudden remark about the Kim Jong-in Daemangron increasingly thought-provoking. Hence, politics is said to be a living organism.

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