Kim Du-kwan: "Lee Jae-myung Changed Everything Except His Wife... A Sign of His Struggles"

Pro-Ming (親明) faction member Kim Du-kwan of the Democratic Party of Korea evaluated the recent party position reshuffle by saying that values such as balance and integration were reflected, adding, "You can see the traces of Leader Lee Jae-myung's careful consideration."

On the 28th, Kim said on SBS's 'Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show,' "Leader Lee appointed Song Gap-seok, a two-term lawmaker from Gwangju who had been critical of him, as a Supreme Council member, and appointed Han Byung-do, former Senior Secretary for Political Affairs under the Moon Jae-in administration, as the Chair of the Strategic Planning Committee, and Kwon Chil-seung as the new Chief Spokesperson."

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul on the 27th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

The recent party position reshuffle is being praised for pursuing balance instead of factional colors, but there are complaints as Secretary-General Cho, who has significant influence over candidate nominations, was retained. Kim said, "It is true that the Secretary-General is deeply involved in the practical aspects of candidate nominations, but in fact, the roles of the Director of the Democratic Research Institute and the newly appointed Chair of the Strategic Planning Committee are also very significant. From Leader Lee's perspective, it seems like he made a decision to change everything except his wife, but the media's evaluation seems somewhat diluted because the Secretary-General was retained."

The anti-Ming (非明) faction still insists on Leader Lee's resignation. Doubts are also raised about whether the party can regain stability through the reshuffle excluding the Secretary-General. Regarding this, Kim said, "It is only natural that 169 members of the National Assembly, each a constitutional institution, express various diverse opinions. That is why such evaluations exist," adding, "From my perspective, Leader Lee made a very thoughtful balanced appointment, and I think our lawmakers and party members should watch closely and correct any problems if they arise."