'Opposition Kingmaker' to Step Up?... Lee Jun-seok Says "Victory in Presidential Election Nearer if Kim Jong-in Leads"

"Utilize Kim Jong-in's Comprehensive Command and Message Delivery Skills"
Kim Jong-in Dismisses Speculation of Supporting Yoon as "His Own Thought"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, emphasized that "only by utilizing former Emergency Committee Chairman Kim Jong-in can we get closer to winning the presidential election." This has led to speculation that Lee is effectively confirming the so-called 'kingmaker of the opposition' Kim's return.

In an interview with Yonhap News TV on the 25th, Lee stated, "Regardless of who the final candidate is, we must utilize Kim's overall command ability and message delivery skills."

Lee explained the roles of himself and Kim by comparing them to the military. "In the military, the Chiefs of Staff of each branch, called 'gunjeong,' manage logistics, while the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, called 'gunryeong,' is responsible for operational command, forming a dual system," he said. "This time, Kim must definitely take on the role of operational commander in the election."

He added, "As party leader, I hope to organize the party's system and logistics so that Kim can demonstrate his command capabilities."

Some view Kim's recent activities as signs of his comeback. On the 22nd, Kim met with Yoon Seok-yeol, the People Power Party's presidential candidate, who was embroiled in the 'dog apple' controversy. Earlier, on the 19th, Yoon sparked controversy for remarks interpreted as defending former President Chun Doo-hwan, saying, "Many say that although Chun's military coup and the May 18 incident were wrong, his politics were good." Subsequently, Yoon posted a photo on social media giving an apple to his dog Tori, which drew criticism for the inappropriate way of apologizing.

On the 24th, Kim reportedly had a lunch meeting with Lee to discuss strategy after the party primary. On the same day, Kim attended the founding meeting of a new party initiated by former Deputy Prime Minister Kim Dong-yeon. Speaking to reporters, Kim said, "I will decide what to do after November 5, the date when the People Power Party's presidential candidate is selected, and talk about it then." He added, "I will never support unless there is a candidate with a clear vision and plan to lead the country as president and who can keep that promise." Regarding rumors of supporting Yoon Seok-yeol, he distanced himself, saying, "That is just Yoon's own impression."

Meanwhile, Lee defended Yoon's controversial remarks about Chun Doo-hwan, saying, "The May 18 and December 12 incidents are clearly wrong, but there are other aspects to evaluate. The expression was a big mistake." He added that such issues are risks that can be mitigated with expert assistance regardless of who becomes the final candidate in the general election.

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