Kim Jong-in: "New Third Zone Party May Exceed '30 Seats in the Capital Region'"

Published 26 Apr.2023 09:24(KST)

Former People Power Party emergency committee chairman Kim Jong-in predicted that the new 'third zone' party, led by former Democratic Party lawmaker Geum Tae-seop, could win "more than 30 seats in the metropolitan area." However, he viewed negatively the idea of forming a 'third zone' by gathering candidates who lost nominations from either the People Power Party or the Democratic Party.

On the 26th, Kim, the former emergency committee chairman, said on KBS's 'Choi Kyung-young's Strongest Current Affairs,' "If a newly starting party fields fresh and so-called capable candidates, I believe it is possible to win not just 30 seats but even more than 30 seats."

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@

Former lawmaker Geum had set a target of 30 seats in the metropolitan area for the new third zone party. However, evaluations from Democratic Party figures have been cold. Choi Jae-sung, former Blue House political secretary and a member of the Democratic Party, said on SBS Radio the day before, "If a third party can win 30 seats in the general election, there must be a presidential candidate," expressing skepticism about the possibility.

Nevertheless, former emergency committee chairman Kim said, "Voters are actually making some judgment about the current political situation, and based on the awakening of the people themselves on how to solve the problems our country is facing, it is possible to secure more than 30 seats."

However, he saw low chances of success if the third zone is formed by gathering those who failed to receive nominations from the People Power Party and the Democratic Party. He said, "Former lawmaker 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."

Former party leader Lee Jun-seok and former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min, who were expected to join the 'third zone,' have shown no interest in founding a new party. Former emergency committee chairman Kim said, "It is natural that those people are not interested," and questioned, "They belong to the People Power Party, so isn't it strange for them to be interested in a new party as members of the People Power Party?"

Regarding former lawmaker Geum's announcement of the new party founding plan before Chuseok, Kim said, "If a new party is to be founded ahead of next year's election, it should be established before Chuseok," and added, "It will be difficult to prepare for next year's election without an official announcement of the party around July or August this year," expressing a positive view.

He drew a line on whether he would participate in the new party founding. Former emergency committee chairman Kim said, "I have no intention of directly involving myself in founding a new party," and added, "If they ask me for advice, I can give it, but based on my various political experiences, I do not want to be directly involved at my age." Kim was born in 1940 and is 82 years old this year.

He continued, "Having been through both major parties for nearly 10 years, I am not very satisfied with the results, and seeing the ongoing political situations, I have been greatly disappointed," adding, "I no longer want to be directly involved in politics."