Kim Du-kwan Pressures for Election System Decision... "Where Has Lee Jae-myung, Who Fought Against Injustice, Gone?"

"Becoming Numb to Keeping Promises with the Public... A Factor in Election Defeat"
"Withdrawal of Arrest Motion Had Excuse of 'Yoon Administration Oppression'"

Kim Du-kwan, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, criticized the Lee Jae-myung leadership, which is struggling over the election system reform, saying, "Where has the Lee Jae-myung who fought against injustice until the end and said 'Lee Jae-myung gets it done' gone?"

This is seen as a rebuttal to Hong Ik-pyo, the floor leader, who the day before suggested on CBS Radio the possibility of returning to a parallel proportional representation system or creating satellite parties by questioning, "Do we have to keep all promises?" regarding the election system reform.

On the same day, Kim said through social media (SNS), "After hearing Floor Leader Hong's counter-question yesterday, I doubted my ears whether such words could come from the leadership of a public party," adding, "We have become so numb to keeping promises with the public. In a way, that was also a decisive factor in the last presidential election defeat."

He added, "Of course, promises can be broken. But there are different weights to promises."

Kim Du-gwan, member of the Democratic Party of Korea./Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

Referring to Lee Jae-myung's declaration to give up parliamentary immunity, Kim pointed out, "Breaking the promise of the (mixed-member proportional representation) system is different from giving up parliamentary immunity. The promise to consent to arrest was broken with the excuse of persecution by the Yoon Seok-youl administration."

He continued, "The earnest appearance of suddenly holding a party meeting during the presidential campaign and the attitude of 'what's the use of losing gracefully' cannot coexist," adding, "The declaration before the people to introduce a multi-party system for political reform can only be linked to opposing satellite parties and helping other forces' political entry."

Furthermore, he warned that if the Democratic Party decides to return to the parallel system, "the party's fate will be division, not unity." Kim said, "I believe Leader Lee will not take the path of division but unity," and added, "I will wait for the determination to maintain the current mixed-member proportional system and enact the anti-satellite party law proposed by 75 Democratic Party lawmakers."