Yoo Seung-min: "The recording is likely true... Yoon will handle all nominations, would he give me one?"

Former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min stated that he has no ambition to run in next year's general election but has not given up on his presidential aspirations.

On the 4th, Yoo said on YTN's "News King Park Ji-hoon" program, "President Yoon Seok-yeol will handle all the nominations, so would he give me a nomination?"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

He added, "However, if our politics, especially the conservative politics I belong to, continue like this, what kind of politics is this? For that reason, I am very concerned and active. I have no interest in running in the general election at all," and said, "What meaning would it have for me to serve a full four years as a member of the National Assembly at this stage?"

But regarding the presidential election, he said, "I have been someone who has challenged the presidency, and I have not abandoned that intention."

Regarding the 'Tae Young-ho recording' controversy, Yoo said, "The contents of the recording are likely true," and that it could pose legal issues. He said, "Both Chief Lee Jin-bok and Representative Tae Young-ho deny it, but it is very hard to believe that. If this matter is true, it is an extremely serious illegal act," adding, "Former President Park Geun-hye was sentenced to four years by the prosecution during Yoon Seok-yeol's time as prosecutor, and received a two-year prison sentence."

He said, "I cannot trust what Representative Tae or Chief Lee say. I think the contents of the recording are true," and "This is a fundamental and structural problem in the party-government relationship, and President Yoon has succeeded in turning the People Power Party into a personal party completely controlled by the president alone."

He also expressed concerns about the general election. He said, "Can we hold the general election with this leadership? That is something the members of our party, the real owners of the party, should truly worry about," and added, "The party leadership is perceived as the president’s henchmen. Holding the general election with such leadership? I think it will not be easy."

He said, "President Yoon said he would run the general election under his own name and the president’s name, but the president’s approval rating is fluctuating around 30. Running the general election with that approval rating? That will not be easy either," and said, "The president’s risk is too great."

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