'Yeongdeungpo-eul' Nominee Kim Min-seok: "In the Wilderness of Time, I Learned That the People Are Fearsome"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Nahum] On the 26th, former lawmaker Kim Min-seok, who laid the groundwork for a comeback by winning the Democratic Party's primary for the Seoul Yeongdeungpo-eul constituency, expressed his reflections, saying, "During the harsh and lonely wilderness of the past 20 years, I learned that the people and the heavens are the most fearsome and grateful."

Immediately after the announcement of the Democratic Party's first primary results that day, former lawmaker Kim released a press statement saying, "Returning to the hometown of politics after 20 years, I sincerely thank the citizens and party members of Yeongdeungpo who opened the first window for the son who has completed his tough worldly studies."

He continued, "Much has changed, and I have prepared a lot. As a son who has returned, I will do it properly," and pledged, "I will create clear changes for Yeongdeungpo and the Republic of Korea."

He added, "The country is in difficulty, and the people are going through very hard times. I feel the pain and fear, and it breaks my heart," and said, "I will take a humble stance with the determination to share the people's suffering and solve problems together with the people to create hope."

Former lawmaker Kim, a 386 activist who served as president of the Seoul National University student council, first won a seat in the National Assembly in the 1996 general election. In the 2000 general election, he was re-elected with the highest vote share (60.4%) among Seoul constituencies.

He was defeated by former President Lee Myung-bak in the 2002 Seoul mayoral election, and during the unification between presidential candidates Roh Moo-hyun and Chung Mong-joon in the same year, he sided with candidate Chung, leading to a long political ordeal.