Kim Woong: "Jungjin Members Better at Party Leadership Battles than Fighting the Opposition... Will Change the Party"

People Power Party Leadership Candidate Relay Interview ③ Rep. Kim Woong
Harsh Words for Factional Senior Members
"Advised Kim Jong-in to Fight Strongly"
Party Presidential Candidate Development and Protection Pledge
"No One Will Be Allowed to Interfere in Nominations"

Kim Woong, Member of the People Power Party. / Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] "When fighting the government and ruling party, it seemed like there was no strategy or anything, but seeing the party leadership contest, the senior members show great wit and framing skills."

Kim Woong, who has firmly decided to run for the People Power Party (PPP) leadership election, made sharp remarks toward the senior members fiercely competing for party leadership in an interview with Asia Economy on the 7th. Kim said, "Strange things are happening as I consider running for the party leader election," and pointed out, "When I said we should change and reform the party, factional issues and regional sentiments surfaced."

He criticized, "With the emergence of the Yeongnam representative theory and the non-Yeongnam representative theory, I and other first-term lawmakers thought the party was in big trouble. When we try to calm things down, someone stirs up regional sentiments by claiming Yeongnam is being neglected," adding, "When it seems like regional sentiment will disappear, they set fire to it and act as if they are held hostage." Kim said, "Seeing them use the regions that have protected the party as hostages to pursue their political interests makes me really think the party must change."

The interview with Kim took place right after he met Kim Jong-in, former emergency committee chairman of the People Power Party. When asked if this meant he had received Kim Jong-in’s support, Kim Woong replied, "I saw it that way," and added, "I was asked to definitely become the party leader this time and realize the party platform and policies." During Kim Jong-in’s tenure, the party platform and policies were revised to create a centrist, pragmatic party, but the actual work of changing the party is entrusted to Kim Woong. It is known that Kim Jong-in advised Kim Woong to "fight hard."

Additionally, Kim Jong-in advised that "People Power Party candidates need to be nurtured," Kim Woong said. Kim criticized, "Some say we should bring in someone with high approval ratings from outside because the PPP presidential candidate’s support rate is only about 1%. But that approach won’t work." He continued, "A person who is fair, has expertise in economics, and holds convictions and principles is qualified to be president. Wouldn’t former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min and Jeju Governor Won Hee-ryong fit this well? But there is no senior member defending and protecting our candidates," he criticized.

Regarding his blueprint for party reform, Kim mentioned "candidate nomination." He said, "Having experienced Yeouido politics, the most important thing was candidate nomination," and declared, "We will set the rules in advance, conduct multiple opinion polls, and then proceed with the nomination process accordingly. The nomination management committee will be the management body, and no one else will be allowed to intervene." He also proposed reforms such as mandatory nomination quotas for minorities, improving the party’s data analysis capabilities, and reorganizing the party as a problem-solving organization.

Meanwhile, Kim Woong stated via social media on the 10th, "If you are not prepared to sacrifice everything, it is not right to run in this party convention," and expressed hope that it would become a place where one of the ‘Future Makers’ (youth) can represent. This showed his determination to even give up his constituency in Songpa-gu, a stronghold of the People Power Party.