Kim Jong-in: "The Biggest Issue in the April 7 By-election is Judging the Moon Administration... Must Become the People Power Party Candidate to 'Check and Balance'"

"Mayoral Election with Only 1 Year Term... Must Serve as a Check and Judgment on the Administration"

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] Kim Jong-in, the Emergency Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, defined the April 7 by-election as a judgment on the Moon Jae-in administration. Regarding the candidate unification being discussed in the opposition camp, he emphasized that the People Power Party candidate will achieve unification.

People Power Party's Seoul mayoral preliminary candidates and Emergency Response Committee Chairman Kim Jong-in are taking a commemorative photo at the Seoul mayoral preliminary candidates meeting held at the National Assembly on the 28th. From the second left: Joo Ho-young, floor leader; Oh Shin-hwan; Oh Se-hoon, preliminary candidate; Chairman Kim; Na Kyung-won; Cho Eun-hee, preliminary candidate; and Jeong Jin-seok, nomination committee chairman.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 28th, Chairman Kim said at a meeting with party leadership and Seoul mayoral primary candidates, "The most important issue in this Seoul mayoral by-election is that the citizens of Seoul will judge the various failures of the Moon Jae-in administration over the past four years through this election." He added, "Now that the Democratic Party of Korea controls the legislature, they are recklessly passing legislation without restraint, and the government's approach to state affairs is very unstable, causing ordinary citizens to lose a sense of security about the future." He said, "This election can serve as a check on the government and a judgment on the politics of the past Moon Jae-in administration."

Regarding the recent flood of pledges by Seoul mayoral candidates, Chairman Kim said, "I think there is not much that can be done during the remaining term of only one year in this Seoul mayoral by-election." He continued, "Although specific issues such as real estate problems, tax issues, and the previous mayor's sexual harassment case are pointed out among the failures of the Moon Jae-in administration, fundamentally, the most important matter in this election is the function of checking or judging the regime."

On the opposition candidate unification, Chairman Kim said, "The People Power Party candidate will definitely achieve unification, and only by doing so can we accept the people's will to check the regime."

After the meeting, Chairman Kim had a Q&A session with reporters regarding his recent interview where he mentioned that he might 'disappear.' Reporters asked whether his remark implied that he would disappear if Ahn Cheol-soo, the leader of the People’s Party, wins the opposition unified primary.

In response, Chairman Kim said, "I have never thought that the People Power Party would fail to produce a unified candidate," and added, "When choosing the Seoul mayor, the most important issue is which party can fulfill that role, not which specific individual voters judge."

He explained that since he did not consider the possibility of Ahn winning the opposition unified candidacy, it is not a variable in his consideration of his position. Furthermore, he reiterated that what citizens choose is not a specific opposition candidate but a party that can check the regime, and that choice is only the People Power Party.