"Kudetani Sangwang and Such Nonsense" Kim Jong-in's 10-Minute 'Deliberate Criticism' of Yoon

"Yoon, Can't Work Together with Such Political Judgment"
"Should Seize the Moment, but This Situation Occurred"
"Yoon Wanders Because No Vision for the Country Is Seen"
Yoon Seok-yeol Dissolves Campaign Committee: "Will Accept Whipping and Criticism Graciously"

The People Power Party's presidential candidate Yoon Seok-yeol (left) parted ways with Kim Jong-in, the general election campaign committee chairman (right), on the 5th, 63 days before the presidential election. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] "With that level of political judgment, I can no longer share the same intentions with him."

It was literally a resolute statement. On the morning of the 5th, when Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, announced that he would completely reorganize the election campaign committee, Kim Jong-in, who resigned from the position of overall campaign committee chairman, met with reporters in front of his personal office in Gwanghwamun, Jongno-gu, Seoul, and said, "With that level of political situational judgment, I can no longer share the same intentions with him," and "I do not see a vision of how he plans to run the country if he becomes president."

During the Q&A session with reporters, Kim spoke candidly for 10 minutes without hesitation about his political thoughts, the current crisis within the People Power Party, Yoon’s political skills, Lee Jun-seok, and the party’s future direction.

Immediately after his resignation, Kim dismissed any possibility of rejoining Yoon. He said, "That will never happen." Regarding Kim’s endorsement of Yoon as the opposition’s presidential candidate last March, when he said, "I caught the moment of the stars," Kim said, "If the moment of the stars comes, you have to catch it properly, but this kind of situation happened during the process of catching it."

Regarding the conflicts recently reported in the media, such as 'kingmaker' and 'coup,' Kim raised his voice, saying, "I suggested reorganizing the campaign committee as a whole, but they talk about kingmakers and coups. Why would I stage a coup for some purpose?" He then criticized the campaign committee point by point. Kim said, "I suggested making the campaign committee lean and effective, but they built an aircraft carrier, so it lacks mobility," and "I tried to launch a helicopter, but it didn’t work well."

On the 5th, Chairman Kim Jong-in publicly criticized presidential candidate Yoon Seok-yeol, pointing out issues such as a lack of political skills.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

He also criticized Yoon’s political experience. He said, "Yoon is someone who tried politics and elections for the first time, so he thought that gathering many people was good," and "As a result, it didn’t move well, causing this phenomenon." He added, "He has never experienced a presidential election like this," and "Our country has many problems piled up, and the person who becomes president should completely reform the government and create a stepping stone for the next generation to take the center stage in the world, but I don’t see such a person."

Regarding the so-called 'core power' in Yoon’s camp, who could be considered the 'door-handle power' controlling things behind the scenes, Kim said bluntly, "It will be the same going forward." When reporters asked if it didn’t look like the close aides were stepping down, he criticized, "Is that stepping down? Even now, people without official positions are exercising influence."

Regarding the resignation announcement of Kwon Seong-dong, Yoon’s closest aide and secretary-general, Kim said, "I don’t really care whether that person quits or not," and added, "There must be a firm idea about the direction in which the presidential election will be fought." He said, "Because Yoon doesn’t have a vision of how to run the country if he becomes president, he has been wandering like this so far."

In response to criticism that he was protecting party leader Lee Jun-seok, Kim said, "I only emphasized to Lee that 'As the party leader, your duty is to get Yoon elected.'" He added, "I saw in some newspaper that Yoon’s side said Lee and I staged a coup, but why would I be so frustrated as to think about staging a coup with Lee?"

Regarding the presidential election outlook, he said, "We have to wait and see," and "I don’t know if (Yoon) thinks he is confident, but I don’t want to comment on that." He repeated, "If the moment of the stars comes, you have to catch it properly, but this kind of situation happened during the process of catching it."

Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, is holding a press conference to announce the dissolution of the election campaign committee and his position at the party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, on the morning of the 5th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, on the 5th, Yoon held a press conference at the People Power Party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, and said, "I will return to the original Yoon Seok-yeol that the people expected," and announced the dissolution of the election campaign committee as of today. He added, "Instead of distributing positions to lawmakers, I will form a thorough practical election campaign headquarters led by capable young practitioners." With this, Kim was dismissed from Yoon’s campaign committee just 33 days after joining.

Yoon said, "I should have led the election campaign organization and the People Power Party well to reassure the people, but failing to do so is entirely my responsibility," and "I will accept the public’s criticism and punishment for my shortcomings." Yoon announced that the new practical campaign headquarters will be led by Kwon Young-se, a four-term lawmaker. Other appointments will be announced tomorrow (the 6th).

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