Late Roh Hoe-chan Chief Secretary Kim Jong-cheol Announces Candidacy for Party Leader... "A Real Fight with the Democratic Party"

"Democratic Party Growing More Conservative, Must Engage in a Real Contest"
"Will Create a 'Nothing is Impossible Justice Party' and a 'No Taboo Justice Party'"

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeon Jinyoung] Kim Jongcheol, senior spokesperson of the Justice Party, announced his candidacy for party leader on the 7th. Through his Facebook on the same day, Kim stated his ambition to create a ‘Justice Party without taboos,’ saying, “We must engage in a serious showdown with the increasingly conservative Democratic Party.” Kim entered politics as the secretary to Kwon Younggil, leader of the Democratic Labor Party, and served as chief secretary to the late Roh Hoechan, former floor leader of the Justice Party, and Yoon Soha, current floor leader.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

He expressed his intention for reform, saying, “The Justice Party must become a ‘party that can do anything,’” and added, “Progressive politics must reflect on whether it has been self-censoring and failing to speak out, and whether it has any reform tasks of its own.”

He also stated, “The Justice Party must pursue alternatives that transcend capitalism.” Kim said, “The global crises of deepening inequality, the climate crisis, and the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) show that it is increasingly difficult for existing capitalism to be maintained as is,” and added, “I will evolve the Justice Party into a party that proposes alternatives to transcend capitalism, a post-capitalist alternative party.”

He expressed his will to highlight the Justice Party’s identity. Kim emphasized, “I will clarify the Justice Party’s identity,” and “It will be clearly a labor-centered mass party and a party for the socially vulnerable and minorities.” Establishing the relationship with the Democratic Party in the post-Sim Sangjung system has emerged as an important task for the current party leadership candidates.

He explained, “The Justice Party is a party not only for organized workers but also for unorganized workers and irregular workers who are in more precarious conditions,” and “It is also a party for the socially vulnerable and minorities such as feminists, sexual minorities, and people with disabilities, expressed as ‘Sim Sangjung’s one minute.’”

He continued, “The Justice Party must become a ‘social movement mass party,’” and added, “The Justice Party’s politics should not be confined only within the parliament. It must come out to where the people are. Through alliances with various social movements, we will restore and expand politics in the public square.”

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