Kim Jaewon: "'Yoon Sanghyun's demand to run in the metropolitan area and his candidacy declaration at Park Jeonghee's birthplace is 'hypocrisy''"

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Former People Power Party Supreme Council Member Kim Jae-won criticized Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun's demand for 'running in the metropolitan area' as unfair, saying, "Would someone whose constituency is in the metropolitan area be told to run in the metropolitan area?" He also criticized Rep. Yoon, who is running for party leader, for demanding others to run in the metropolitan area while declaring his own candidacy in Sangmo-dong, Gumi-si, Gyeongbuk Province, the party's stronghold, in front of the birthplace of former President Park Chung-hee, calling it 'hypocrisy.'

On the 4th, former Supreme Council Member Kim said on SBS's 'Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show,' "If Rep. Yoon wants to focus on Seoul and the metropolitan area, I don't understand why he made his candidacy declaration all the way in Sangmo-dong, Gumi-si, instead of at Gwanghwamun Intersection," expressing this view.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

He said, "This kind of hypocritical behavior is often interpreted by voters in Daegu and Gyeongbuk as 'He comes to get votes from Yeongnam voters, but they are all unimportant, and we must win in the metropolitan area,'" adding, "Later, during candidate selection, the so-called 'candidate selection reform' is carried out as a candidate massacre, and that happens again in the Yeongnam region."

He also pointed out that Rep. Yoon, who has a constituency in the metropolitan area, lacks sincerity in advocating for 'running in the metropolitan area.' He said, "If someone whose constituency is in the metropolitan area tells others to 'run in the metropolitan area,' it means there is no change for himself and he only talks about others, so it's a bit unfair," adding, "If those people have constituencies in the provinces and say 'I will go to the metropolitan area' while demanding others to do so, then that can be a sincere and reasonable opinion."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Regarding the 'large multi-member district system' proposed by President Yoon Seok-youl, he said, "It seems that he mentioned political reform with pure intentions," but added, "We need to carefully examine what the actual implications and results are beyond the stated purpose." Even if President Yoon proposed the large multi-member district system with a genuine will for political reform, the results may not be as intended.

He pointed out, "The Democratic Party introduced the mixed-member proportional representation system to push through the adjustment of investigative authority, claiming to 'favor smaller parties,' but it actually backfired," adding, "One electoral district in Gangwon Province covers about one-seventeenth of our country's territory, and if the large multi-member district system is implemented, there will be electoral districts covering about one-fifth of the country's territory."

Former Supreme Council Member Kim also noted that the large multi-member district system is already being introduced in local councils, saying, "Countries where parliamentary democracy is almost complete, such as the UK, the US, France, and Germany, use the single-member district system, not the large multi-member district system."

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