Kim Jong-in Emphasizes 'Change' at Party Meeting... Tells Internal Opposition "Don't Pick Fights"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy reporters Lee Ji-eun and Lim Chun-han] At the first emergency committee (Emergency Committee) meeting, Kim Jong-in, the Emergency Committee Chairman of the Future United Party, who emphasized 'progressive change,' also emphasized 'disruptive innovation' at his first meeting with lawmakers on the 2nd, signaling a major transformation. In response to these movements by the Emergency Committee, resistance both inside and outside the party appears to be intensifying.

Chairman Kim said at the party meeting held at the National Assembly main building on the morning of the 2nd, "If we do not achieve disruptive innovation in the current political situation, the country's future will not be bright." He added, "We are experiencing a situation never before faced due to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), and without taking drastic measures, it will be difficult to overcome this situation," emphasizing, "The public, who are anxious about the future because of COVID-19, must be reassured, and the economy must continuously develop and society must achieve harmony, which requires efforts from the political sphere."

Seemingly aware of dissatisfaction within the party, Chairman Kim said, "Once we complete the preparation process to appropriately approach the upcoming presidential election, my duty will be fulfilled," and earnestly requested, "Even if there are some dissatisfactions or actions that deviate from past values, please do not cause too much trouble and cooperate with each other." He continued, "I did not take this position for any personal or special purpose," adding, "I took this position because I believe that if politics does not develop in a balanced way for the advancement of democracy in our country, the future will not be bright."

This appears to be aimed at the ongoing internal discord since the 'Kim Jong-in Emergency Committee' began its full-scale activities. Lawmaker Jang Je-won criticized on Facebook that morning, "The Kim Jong-in Emergency Committee is telling us not to use the words 'conservative' or even 'free right-wing,'" and questioned, "Are we not even allowed to use the term 'reform conservative'? There are even remarks within the party that 'conservatism is an outdated value behind the times,'" expressing a critical view of Chairman Kim. The day before, he also pointed out, "There are concerns about strengthening a one-person dominance system through blocking communication channels. The decision-making process also reeks of authoritarianism." Former Liberty Korea Party leader and opposition presidential candidate Hong Joon-pyo also fully criticized the Emergency Committee on the 29th of last month, saying, "If we disguise imitating the left-wing's second squad as reform, we will only become a satellite party of the left-wing party."

Eight years ago, Chairman Kim failed to remove 'conservatism' from the party platform, and this time he is expected to exclude conservatism and include moderate values, but criticism within the party still seems unrelenting. Former lawmaker Lee Eon-ju warned in a media interview that "The fact that the United Party represents conservative values and philosophy cannot be changed," expressing caution against attempts to remove conservatism from the party platform. Lawmaker Cho Hae-jin also viewed negatively on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show,' saying, "Just because the word 'conservative' is abandoned does not mean the progressive camp will give up the word 'progressive.'"