Kim Boo-kyum "Lee Jae-myung Admits 'Moderate Conservative' Expression Caused Misunderstanding"

"Lee: Responsibility for People Power Party's Shift to the Far Right"
"Party Identity Should Be Defined with Caution"

Former Prime Minister Kim Bu-gyeom said on the 25th, "Representative Lee admitted that the expression 'the Democratic Party is a centrist conservative party' could be misunderstood."

On the same day, Kim said on SBS Radio's 'Political Show,' "Representative Lee meant that the public opinion should take responsibility for the People Power Party leaning towards the far right." Earlier, Kim met with Representative Lee the previous evening to discuss expanding the party's base and constitutional amendments amid the growing possibility of an early presidential election.

He added, "The party's identity is formed through history, defined by the role the Democratic Party has played in Korean political history and approved by the public. When I said it was wrong for the party leader to define it in one sentence, Representative Lee said, 'Some expressions could be misunderstood in that way.'"

Kim said, "The meaning behind Representative Lee's statement about a centrist conservative party was that since the People Power Party is leaning towards the so-called far right, we should also accept public opinion and take responsibility. I can agree with the party showing such policy flexibility ahead of the presidential election."

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is greeting former Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum at a restaurant in Yeouido, Seoul on the 24th. 2025.2.24 Photo by the National Assembly Press Photographers Group

However, he argued, "We should be cautious about defining the party's identity with just one statement from the leader. If the party intends to broaden its identity to include sufficient capabilities, it should be decided through various party organizations and discussions, not by the party leader alone."

When asked if he viewed the party's rightward shift and expansion positively, Kim replied, "Former Presidents Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun, who had national mandates, also did the same."

Regarding constitutional amendments, he explained, "Although the goal is to end the civil war now, in fact, the people are in a state akin to civil war. To end this, the most important thing is to reach an agreement on what the next Republic of Korea should look like, and that content inevitably must be reflected in constitutional amendments."

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