Kim Ki-hyun: "Jeon Dae must not be postponed this year... Party emergency situation only benefits Lee Jae-myung"

"Lee: 'Passing' the ruling party is impossible to 'face off' with Yoon... Lee Jun-seok must think carefully"

Kim Ki-hyun, member of the People Power Party. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] "Does it make sense for the president and the opposition leader to have a so-called ‘showdown’? It is the ruling party leader and the opposition leader who should have the showdown. Our party’s ‘emergency situation’ is only beneficial to Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea."

Kim Ki-hyun, a member of the People Power Party and a frontrunner for the next party leadership, emphasized the ‘early party convention theory’ in an interview with Asia Economy on the 5th, saying, "The party convention should not be postponed beyond this year." He has persistently advocated for an early party convention even when key figures within the party supported holding it in January or February next year.

He believes that it is not a good situation for President Yoon Seok-youl either if the ruling party remains under an emergency committee system while the opposition leader is confirmed. Kim said, "When Leader Lee came to meet Floor Leader Kwon Seong-dong for a congratulatory visit, an unpleasant photo was taken," pointing out, "Floor Leader Kwon is the acting chairman of the emergency committee and represents the party, but Leader Lee put his arm over Kwon’s left arm. Does that make sense?" He said that photo symbolizes the ‘ruling party passing over.’ He added, "Leader Lee thinks it is advantageous for him to bypass our party and confront the president directly," and "politically, he wants to leave a message that ‘I am the next president.’"

The Democratic Party is showing signs of countering Lee’s judicial risks with the ‘Kim Geon-hee Special Prosecutor Act.’ There are concerns that the first regular National Assembly session under the Yoon Seok-youl administration could become a battleground for political strife amid the ‘minority ruling party, majority opposition’ situation. Kim said, "There is overwhelming evidence related to Leader Lee, so they are trying to turn it into a political issue to mislead the public," emphasizing, "We should talk and negotiate according to law and principles, but the law must be upheld."

He described Lee as "a person with great abilities in verbal punch, good skills, political motions, and gestures," and questioned, "With a watered-down leadership, how can he lead this minority party and confront the Democratic Party?" Kim stressed that only by checking the opposition with strong leadership can the ruling party overcome the ‘minority ruling party, majority opposition’ situation and be properly evaluated in the 2024 general election.

Regarding the ‘Yellow Envelope Act’ that the Democratic Party is pushing as party policy, he criticized it as "an absurd law." He pointed out, "(Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering) is a company that covers losses of thousands of billions of won with taxpayers’ money," and said, "If there is illegal activity, it should be severely punished and held strictly liable in civil and compensation matters."

Kim also expressed concern about former leader Lee Jun-seok, who is at odds with the party. He said, "He is putting a negative image on many positive assets he has," and added, "If former Leader Lee takes more time to reflect and mature, he could become an excellent figure."

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