Kim Jong-in: "I met Geum Tae-seop to thank him for helping with the election"

"Did We Elect Oh Se-hoon to Force People Power Party Integration?" Criticism Over Merger with People Party

Former Kim Jong-in, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jun-yi] Former People Power Party Emergency Committee Chairman Kim Jong-in held a sudden meeting with former Democratic Party lawmaker Geum Tae-seop on the 16th. It is known that this meeting was arranged at the initiative of former Chairman Kim.

After the meeting, former Emergency Committee Chairman Kim told Asia Economy in the elevator in front of his private office located in Jongno-gu, Seoul, "I met (former lawmaker Geum) to thank him for helping us in the last election," adding, "I did not discuss anything else."

Later, in a session with reporters, former Chairman Kim drew a line by saying, "I said I will no longer engage in politics." He added, "My role was to serve until the April 7 by-election to restore balance after the April 15 general election was completely ruined," and said, "I said I would disappear from this party once the by-election was over, and I just kept that promise."

On the other hand, regarding former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, who has emerged as a leading presidential candidate, he hinted at willingness to meet by saying, "If (former Prosecutor General Yoon) asks to meet once, I would consider it, but I myself do not have the desire to meet anyone."

When asked about "how do you view a merger before the election," he said, "I have never said that there will be a merger before the election," and added, "That is something Floor Leader Joo Ho-young (acting party leader) talks about on his own."

Former lawmaker Geum Tae-seop is leaving the hotel after having a breakfast meeting with Kim Jong-in, former emergency committee chairman of the People Power Party, at the Chosun Hotel in Seoul on the 16th. Photo by the National Assembly Press Photographers Group

Regarding internal conflicts within the People Power Party, he criticized, "Do you vaguely think that the power will collapse if there is a merger?" and said, "Before the April 15 general election, they said they would form a grand conservative coalition, but what was the result? It only brought about an election defeat." He continued, "We need to properly understand how the people's hearts are turning and act accordingly," and questioned, "Did we elect Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon to unify the People Power Party?"