Kim Nam-guk: "Geum Tae-seop's claim that only he is right despite the party's decision is not desirable"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Cheol-eung] Kim Nam-guk, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, expressed his view on former lawmaker Geum Tae-seop, saying, "It is not desirable to insist until the end that only I am right even though the party line has been decided." Kim applied for the nomination in Geum's former constituency, Seoul Gangseo-gap, but moved to Gyeonggi Ansan Danwon and was elected.

On the 3rd, Kim appeared on YTN Radio's 'Noh Young-hee's Start of a New Morning' and said, "As much as one's own thoughts are precious and believed to be right, one should also respect others' thoughts to the same extent. I think that aspect was somewhat lacking."

He explained that the disciplinary action was taken not because of opposition to the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Unit (PCC) or expressing personal beliefs, but because of voting against the party line. Kim said, "The disciplinary action was taken because party members filed a disciplinary request for not following the party line. It seems to be a matter of which value takes precedence when the personal beliefs of a constitutional institution member of the National Assembly conflict with the party line."

He continued, "Due to the countless uncoordinated remarks by lawmakers, the already inactive National Assembly is likely to become a 'plant National Assembly' or a 'verbal abuse National Assembly' that cannot reach any agreement or conclusion. Therefore, the party line must be upheld. That seems to have been the intention."

He argued that this is not about gagging personal beliefs. Kim said, "In the past, he persistently voiced his opposition at party meetings, but since that was not adopted as the party line, if internal party democracy were not upheld and lawmakers' personal beliefs could not be expressed, that would be a problem. But I don't think that was the case. It is difficult to say that the Democratic Party of Korea is a party without diversity or that lawmakers' personal beliefs are being suppressed."