Kim Jong-in: "Whether Yoon Seok-yeol or Lee Jae-myung wins, the country's future looks bleak"

'Why Do Presidents Fail?' Publication Commemorative Forum
Direct Criticism Toward Presidential Candidates on Pension Reform, Minority Government, and More

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporters Junyi Park and Hyunji Kwon] Former People Power Party Emergency Committee Chairman Kim Jong-in criticized Yoon Seok-yeol, the People Power Party's presidential candidate, and Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party's presidential candidate, saying, "One of the two major party candidates will be elected anyway, but whichever it is, the future of the country looks bleak."

On the 10th, Kim held a youth forum to commemorate the publication of his book "Why Presidents Fail," stating, "It is clear that if one candidate is elected, they will run even more recklessly than the Moon Jae-in administration."

He pointed out, "The country will be further divided into two, and the opposition party will lose even its reason for existence," adding, "Even if the other candidate is elected, the same applies. An extreme minority government situation, unprecedented in our history, will unfold. We will have to endure a 'plant president' for about the first two years of the five-year term."

He continued, "Although they say they will form a coalition government, it will not be as easy as it sounds," and explained, "There is a reason why past administrations failed to form coalition governments. The political structure itself is predatory."

Kim also directly criticized, saying, "The same people, the same power structure, with close aides abusing power, will collapse in the same way," and "It is truly frustrating and bleak that a president impeached by the people's judgment must appear again for the greedy political structure to change."

He also pointed out that candidates from the four parties appeared in a joint TV debate and agreed on pension reform. He said, "Recently, in a TV debate, candidates from each party agreed on pension reform," calling it "the clearest indication of the pathetic level of the current presidential candidates." He added, "Because the birth rate is low, the economic growth rate inevitably remains low," criticizing, "They only put forward seemingly plausible terms like pension reform to pose as reformers, but they do not even think about redesigning the country."

Kim concluded, "I believe the people will support a candidate who shows a firm will to reform the power structure," and said, "I do not know who will receive the certificate of election, but I hope an honest person without greed will be elected. As a citizen of the Republic of Korea, I will also do my part."

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