Kim Jong-in Meets with First-Term Party Leader Candidate 'Kim Woong' This Time... "Party Change Requires New Figures" (Comprehensive)

Kim Jong-in Invites Kim Woong for Meeting at Office
Kim Woong: "I Will Seek Advice on Party Leader Vision and More"

[Asia Economy reporters Naju-seok and Park Joon-yi] Kim Jong-in, former emergency committee chairman of the People Power Party, met with Kim Woong, a People Power Party lawmaker who expressed his intention to participate in the party representative election. It appears that former Chairman Kim is supporting calls for reform within the party from outside the People Power Party.

On the 7th, former Chairman Kim met with lawmaker Kim at his office in Jongno-gu, Seoul. This meeting took place in the form of an invitation from former Chairman Kim after lawmaker Kim expressed his wish to convey his gratitude.

Kim Woong, a first-term candidate for the People Power Party leadership, is leaving after meeting with former Emergency Committee Chairman Kim Jong-in at his office located in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 7th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Before the meeting, lawmaker Kim said, "I will explain what plans and agenda I have as I run for the People Power Party representative, and ask whether these are appropriate for the times." He added, "I will talk about how to reform our party, nomination methods, youth policies, real estate, job issues, and attitudes toward elections. If there are comments such as 'this is unrealistic' or 'needs to be actively promoted,' I will take them into consideration." He intends to hear former Chairman Kim’s advice regarding the party convention. This meeting is notable as it is the first time former Chairman Kim has publicly met with a candidate for party representative since stepping down.

After the meeting with former Chairman Kim, lawmaker Kim told reporters, "The party must change without fail," and added, "There is nothing more efficient for the party’s change than a new person becoming the party representative. He told me to fight hard." He also said, "What left a strong impression was that he told young people to show the future," and "He spoke a lot about specific matters."

Lawmaker Kim said, "Former Chairman Kim mentioned the theory of neglecting Yeongnam, calling it old-fashioned politics that uses Yeongnam as a hostage," and added, "He expressed concern, saying no one is neglecting Yeongnam, so why keep talking about Yeongnam and make it a Yeongnam party by ourselves." Regarding former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol, he said, "He said that Yoon’s options are almost gone," and "He mentioned that Yoon probably needs more time."

Earlier, lawmaker Kim also actively expressed his intention to bring former Chairman Kim back. On the 4th, he appeared on CBS Radio’s Kim Hyun-jung’s News Show and promised, "If I become party representative, I will definitely bring him back." For lawmaker Kim, who said, "I couldn’t even talk on the phone because people kept saying that former Chairman Kim was manipulating things behind the scenes," this is a clear move to court Kim Jong-in.

Meanwhile, former Chairman Kim appeared on SBS’s ‘Joo Young-jin’s News Briefing’ and stated, "It is impossible for me to return to the People Power Party in any form." Because of this, it is interpreted that former Chairman Kim is pursuing a strategy of both scouting next presidential candidates such as former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol in the third zone and partially engaging in calls for reform within the People Power Party.