Kim Jong-in: "No Reason Kim Tae-seop Can't Be President"

Former Democratic Party lawmaker Geum Tae-seop and former People Power Party emergency committee chairman Kim Jong-in have announced plans to establish a 'third zone' party. Kim said, "If the people awaken, there is a possibility that a new political force will emerge." He also evaluated Geum as "a person with well-organized basic thinking" and said there is no reason why he cannot become president.

Former Emergency 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@

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On the 19th, during a live YouTube broadcast of CBS's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show,' former emergency committee chairman Kim said, "It is hard to find a figure like this in our country, in my view. There is no one whose basic thinking is as well-organized as former lawmaker Geum," and added, "There is no reason why Geum cannot become president."

Generally, the formation of a third zone new party is centered around politicians or presidential candidates who have secured a certain level of fandom, but there are criticisms that Geum is not at the level of a presidential candidate. However, Kim said, "Who starts with fandom? The presidential candidate has not even been decided yet."

Kim explained that he highly values Geum's convictions. He said, "Most people in the Democratic Party worry about nominations and cannot make statements based on their convictions. Most people want to serve another term as a lawmaker, so they bow their heads and enter, but very few people assert their convictions to the end. From that perspective, in my view, he is a person with considerable capability compared to others."

He also revealed that he had previously encouraged former People Power Party leader Lee Jun-seok regarding the presidential election. Kim said, "I asked former leader Lee, 'You have been party leader, so what is your next goal? Since you have gone through the process of preparing for the presidency, shouldn't you try preparing for it?'"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

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When asked by the host whether the 'moment of the star' is open to both former lawmaker Geum and former leader Lee, he replied, "Yes," and said, "Who presents a program that appeals to the people in the reality of our country, and how the people accept it, can determine whether the (star) moment comes or not."

He added, "I hope people born after the 1970s emerge as leaders in the future," and said, "If the leader is someone much older, it is very difficult to bring about change." Geum was born in 1967, and Lee was born in 1985.

In a radio program prior to the YouTube broadcast, when asked whether a star at the level of a presidential candidate is necessary to establish a third zone new party, Kim said, "It is not about creating something centered on a person," and added, "Without the awakening of the people, new politics cannot happen."

This means that the people must break away from the entrenched two-party system for the establishment of a third zone new party to be possible. He said, "The people must realize that the existing parties are only trying to protect their vested interests and cannot solve the problems facing the country."

The only successful case of establishing a third zone new party is the People’s Party founded by Ahn Cheol-soo, a People Power Party lawmaker. However, Kim expressed a skeptical view, saying, "Ahn Cheol-soo's new party cannot be considered successful. The People’s Party won about 38 seats in the election, but then it disappeared without any further function."

Former lawmaker Geum also set a goal of '30 seats in the metropolitan area' at a forum held at the National Assembly the day before. Kim said, "There are 121 seats in the metropolitan area, and if good candidates come out, that could be possible," adding, "There is no need to think that is impossible."

Meanwhile, former leader Lee appeared on Gyeongnam MBC's 'Yoon Dong-hyun's Good Morning' on the morning of the same day and drew a line on the 'third zone new party' movement, saying, "I have not yet considered forming a new party or such moves."

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