No Possibility of Third Zone According to Opposition... Kim Jong-in Says "More Than 30 Seats Possible"

Amid pessimistic forecasts from opposition figures who say there is "no possibility" for the third-zone new party led by former Democratic Party lawmaker Geum Tae-seop, former People Power Party emergency committee chairman Kim Jong-in, who supports Geum, expressed a positive outlook, saying "more than 30 seats are possible." Former leader Lee Jun-seok drew a line on Geum's participation in the new party but gave a congratulatory speech at the launch of the 'Third Power' political group centered on young politicians from the Justice Party, indicating that discussions about third-zone political forces are actively continuing.

On the 26th, former emergency committee chairman Kim said on KBS's 'Choi Kyung-young's Strongest Current Affairs,' "If a newly starting party presents fresh and so-called capable candidates, I believe it is possible to win not just 30 seats but even more than 30 seats," adding, "If a new party is to be founded ahead of next year's election, it must be established before Chuseok."

Former Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, Kim Jong-in, is speaking at the "Reflection and Exploration Forum for a Different Future" held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul on the 18th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Former lawmaker Geum set a target of 30 seats in the metropolitan area for the third-zone new party and said he would reveal the framework of the new party before this year's Chuseok. Former emergency committee chairman Kim also agreed with this. However, he saw low chances of success if the third zone is formed by attracting those who failed to receive nominations from the People Power Party and the Democratic Party. He said, "Geum will not create a party of that kind," adding, "If you gather people who were rejected in nominations from the two major parties and form a party, that party cannot succeed."

The evaluation of the third-zone new party by Democratic Party figures is cold. Former Blue House Senior Secretary for Political Affairs and Democratic Party member Choi Jae-sung said on SBS Radio the previous day, "If a third party can create 30 seats in the general election, there must be a presidential candidate," expressing low expectations.

Democratic Party lawmaker Park Beom-gye also said on CBS's 'Park Jae-hong's One Round Victory' the previous day, "We are currently in the second legal war led by Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon, and in such a situation, a complete second legal war, literally a judicial war, is ongoing. There is no room for a third zone in this," adding, "Even if former emergency committee chairman Kim helps, is there room for a third zone in this stark contradictory relationship and contradiction in state affairs?" expressing skepticism.

Besides former lawmaker Geum, attempts to form third-zone power centered on young politicians from the Justice Party are also emerging, so discussions about the 'third zone' are expected to remain active ahead of the general election. Former leader Lee Jun-seok drew a line on Geum's 'third-zone new party' but recently gave a congratulatory speech at the launch ceremony of the political group 'Third Power,' formed mainly by Justice Party lawmakers Ryu Ho-jeong, Jang Hye-young, and Cho Sung-joo, director of the Political Development Institute.

In his congratulatory speech released on social media (SNS), former leader Lee said, "Let's shake off the temptation of cost-effective politics obsessed with labeling as pro-North or pro-Japanese, hate stigmatization, and demonization, and create a new culture," showing a positive response.

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