Kim Garam Elected as Successor to Yeo Taeyongho as Supreme Council Member... Pro-Yoon Faction from Honam and in Their 40s

Among 539 National Committee Voters, 381 Votes
"I Will Serve as a Bridge Between the Party's 2030 and 5060 Generations"

In the by-election for the Supreme Council member of the People Power Party held on the 9th, 40-year-old candidate Kim Garam from Honam was elected as a Supreme Council member.

The People Power Party held a national committee meeting that morning and conducted an automatic response system (ARS) vote. Out of 828 members, 539 (65.1%) participated, and Kim received 381 votes, accounting for 70.7%, securing the final victory. Candidate Lee Jong-bae, who competed against Kim, received 135 votes, and candidate Cheon Gang-jeong received 23 votes.

Born in 1983, Kim is from Honam, considered a "conservative stronghold," and has been active as a party member of the People Power Party for over ten years. He is also an entrepreneur who succeeded in domestic production of Jamon for the first time. After running unsuccessfully for the youth Supreme Council member position in the March 8 party convention, he gained attention by being consecutively appointed as a member of the party’s Minsheng 119 Committee and youth spokesperson. Kim also served as the president of the Korea Junior Chamber (Korea JC). Park Seong-min, a lawmaker regarded as a "pro-Yoon power figure," who was formerly the president of JC Ulsan, attended Kim’s youth Supreme Council candidacy announcement ceremony and gave a congratulatory speech.

Kim Ki-hyun, leader of the People Power Party, is greeting candidate Kim Ga-ram at the 7th National Committee meeting of the People Power Party held on the 9th at the National Assembly to elect a successor to former Supreme Council member Tae Young-ho, who voluntarily resigned. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Immediately after his election, Kim said, "I am a 40-year-old from Honam. That is why our party elected me today," adding, "I will do my best to make the People Power Party a party that can win anywhere nationwide."

He then expressed his ambition to serve as a bridge between generations. Kim emphasized, "A year ago, when my Achilles tendon was torn and I was bedridden for several months, the party was in great turmoil. In my view, the cause of that turmoil was not differences in thoughts or philosophy but generational conflict," and added, "As a person in his 40s, I want to play a role connecting the 2030 and 5060 generations within the party, bridging youth and the older generation."

This by-election for the Supreme Council member, involving participation from the party’s national committee members, was held to fill the vacancy left by lawmaker Tae Young-ho, who resigned amid various controversies such as the "Jeju 4.3 Incident North Korean facility" and the "Yongsan nomination interference recording leak scandal."

Initially, a re-elected lawmaker from Honam was considered a strong candidate, but with three candidates from outside the National Assembly running, concerns arose about a "lack of weight." After the results were announced, Kim told reporters, "I think such concerns are understandable, and I have the mindset to work harder," but added, "However, I do not believe political experience alone defines the qualifications and capabilities of a Supreme Council member. Especially with the general election approaching, I have been active outside the political sphere until recently, so I think I can better empathize with the public’s feelings, and I plan to highlight that aspect."

Regarding the party’s strategy to boost support in the Honam region, Kim said, "There are only two ruling party lawmakers in Jeonbuk, and none in other areas. The people we should focus on and compete with are not the Democratic Party but the residents of Honam," adding, "I will not forget that there is not a single People Power Party lawmaker in Gwangju and Jeonnam, and I plan to make more efforts on the ground."

Former Supreme Council member Tae Young-ho, who resigned, wrote on Facebook that day, "I sincerely congratulate Kim on being elected as a Supreme Council member," and added, "As you stated today, I ask you to do your best to serve as a bridge between the 2030 and 5060 generations and, as someone from Honam, to help make the People Power Party a party that can win anywhere nationwide."