Kim Jong-min Targets Yoo Si-min: "It's Sad Because He's Someone Who Reads Books"

Yoo Si-min Criticizes 'Political Entrepreneurs' Targeting the Vocal Minority
"People Who Oppose Differing Opinions Exist in Every Era"

Kim Jong-min, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, responded to former Roh Moo-hyun Foundation director Yoo Si-min, who criticized the non-Lee Jae-myung faction (Bi-Myung), saying, "He is someone who has read quite a few books, so it is unfortunate. Now is the time to reflect on the defeat in the presidential election."

On the 8th, Kim appeared on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show' and criticized, "There have always been people who are exclusive or hostile to those with different opinions, but this is not the path of democracy."

Former director Yoo recently wrote a column criticizing the Bi-Myung faction after a majority of defections within the Democratic Party occurred during the vote on the arrest warrant for Representative Lee Jae-myung. In the column, Yoo stated, "The non-mainstream lawmakers of the Democratic Party only wanted to humiliate Representative Lee during the processing of the arrest warrant," and added, "Most of them are 'political operators' who neither have the courage to form a new party nor the ability to survive independently in the general election." He also said, "At this point, Lee Jae-myung is practically the only opposition presidential candidate."

Kim Jong-min, member of the Democratic Party of Korea. [Photo by Yonhap News]

In response, Representative Kim said, "Now is not the time for a presidential election next month. It is time to reflect on the defeat." He pointed out, "Democracy is not complicated. Democracy is respecting those with different opinions and not declaring those different opinions as wrong," adding, "The dark history of democracy, such as the Nazis and the Cultural Revolution, was about labeling those with different opinions as wrong."

He continued, "They even called it treason, saying 'You are a traitor, you are a betrayer,'" emphasizing, "This is not the path of democracy."

When asked whether Representative Lee is the only figure who can serve as a unifying force within the Democratic Party, Kim responded, "It seems like there is constant grooming that no one else but Representative Lee exists," and countered, "In the general election, it is important to unite the hearts of lawmakers and party members, not to have a single star player."

He added, "Those who support Representative Lee and those who criticize him should all come together to make decisions; there is no need to assert 'this is the way,'" and said, "Whether from outside or inside, the people will prefer if we reach consensus and unite our hearts."

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