'Hope for LDP Regime Change' Kim Seok-gi Says "Are Democratic Party Lawmakers North Korean Workers' Party Members?"

"Japanese and American Politicians Convey That Regime Change Is Desirable"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] On the 20th, Kim Seok-ki, a member of the People Power Party, clarified the background of his statement that "the Japanese Liberal Democratic Party government hopes for a regime change in South Korea in next year's presidential election."

At the People Power Party's floor strategy meeting that day, Kim explained the background of the controversial remark, saying, "It is regrettable that the intent of my statement was distorted in the media," and apologized for causing concern to the public.

He introduced, "I recently visited Japan as the secretary of the Korea-Japan Parliamentary Union," and added, "The lawmakers and Korean residents in Japan I met there expressed that it would be good if there is a regime change for the improvement of Korea-Japan relations, so I relayed this atmosphere to the party's floor leadership for reference."

Kim's remark became a target of criticism from the ruling party a few days later. Kang Byung-won, a Supreme Council member of the Democratic Party of Korea, reacted by saying, "Is your party the Liberal Democratic Party?"

Regarding this controversy, Kim said, "The idea that a regime change is desirable has been mentioned several times not only by Japan but also by politicians from other countries such as the United States," and added, "The Korean residents also are clamoring. They said they sigh and get angry seeing the Moon Jae-in administration struggling with North Korea and China during the difficult times of COVID-19."

Kim asserted, "To which country do President Moon Jae-in and the Democratic Party belong as president and lawmakers?" and questioned, "I want to ask whether they belong to the Chinese Communist Party and the Workers' Party." He criticized, "If the reason for becoming a Japanese LDP lawmaker is that I conveyed what I heard from overseas Koreans while interacting with foreign politicians as the chairman of the Korean residents in Japan committee, then are Democratic Party lawmakers North Korean Workers' Party members?"

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