'Jyeotjalsa' Kim Min-seok Alone Shouted 'Jiseon Nomination Failure' on the Podium and Why

"Our Party Is Currently Abnormal"
Drawing Attention by Shouting 'Accountability' in Preliminary Primary Speech

Candidate Kim Min-seok, who is running for the party leader election, is presenting his policy platform at the preliminary election meeting for the selection of the Democratic Party of Korea's party leader and supreme council members held at the National Assembly Members' Office Building on the 28th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jun-yi] "Our party is currently abnormal. The cause of the local election defeat that cost us many comrades is clear, yet no one sincerely apologizes while covering up the truth of the process. They avoid debates and delay responses."

On the 28th, during the keynote speech of the preliminary election for the Democratic Party of Korea's party leader and supreme council members, Representative Kim Min-seok, a candidate for party leader, mentioned the 'responsibility for the election,' drawing the audience's attention. With a flushed face, he pointed his finger into the air and continued his speech in a strong tone.

Before the cutoff, the phrase "Eodaemyeong (Anyway, the party leader is Lee Jae-myung)" was commonly used, indicating Lee Jae-myung's certain victory. The party leadership race was divided between Lee and the '97 Group' (Park Yong-jin, Kang Hoon-sik, Kang Byung-won, Park Joo-min). This made it difficult for Kim and senior member Seol Hoon, as well as former supreme council member Lee Dong-hak outside the party, to attract attention inside and outside the party.

Although Kim did not advance to the final round that day, his speech was praised on-site as proof of his former strength during the 'DJ Kids' era. He began his speech by saying, "I ended up standing at the party convention because I couldn't solve this question," referring to the question about the nomination for the Seoul mayoral election, which was a decisive cause of the last local election defeat.

He continued, "From Seoul to Gyeyang, even if there were a hundred causes of defeat, it seems hard to deny that the nomination was the direct cause," raising his voice, "It was unreasonable, so why was it pushed through? Who is responsible? Am I abnormal for still being entangled?" He then asked rhetorically, "Has there ever been a single time in Democratic Party history when comrades were killed for my survival or when private personnel matters took precedence?"

Kim served as the head of strategic planning for the presidential election campaign headquarters in March and as co-head of the election campaign committee for the local elections in June. Although he himself cannot be free from responsibility for the election, he repeatedly emphasized the need for 'reflection' in his speech that day.

He proposed a 'postpone self-interest and prioritize the party' attitude as a way for the party to recover after consecutive election failures. Kim said, "The reason the people chose former Presidents Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun was not because they were right, but because of the belief that they valued 'public service over personal gain,'" strongly pointing out, "We must show that the party's spirit and conscience are alive."

He added, "We will establish the party's identity and the sovereignty of party members," and argued, "The most important vision is for the party to establish the principle that if a person is put first, they will surely be judged."

Entering politics at the young age of 28, he made a name for himself as a 'political star' representing the 386 generation, becoming the youngest Seoul mayoral candidate at 35. However, he faced political criticism after declaring support for then-candidate Chung Mong-joon of the National Unity 21 before the 16th presidential election and subsequently lost several elections in a row. He returned to the National Assembly after 18 years by winning the 21st general election.

In his speech that day, he also said, "I am a person with many shortcomings," adding, "I was doing really well as the youngest member of the National Assembly and the youngest Seoul mayoral candidate, but after a tough 18 years, people said Kim Min-seok was finished, Kim Min-seok was dead. After living as a private citizen for 18 years hearing such things, I have returned."