Kim Kyung-soo Shows Cautious Attitude Toward Attention as 'Screaming Focal Point'

Kim Kyung-su "My Position Is to Learn and Work Hard"
Even If Reinstated, the Core of the Crisis Is Another Issue
Park Ji-won "Reinstatement Should Happen Quickly, No Division Tactics Allowed"

Former Governor of Gyeongnam Province Kim Kyung-soo, who received extraordinary attention from the political circles around his temporary return to Korea, showed a cautious attitude, saying, "Now is the time to make efforts." While there are speculations in the political circles that former Governor Kim could become a rallying point for the anti-Lee Jae-myung faction, there are also opinions that reinstatement, which would serve as a stepping stone for political comeback, should come first.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 20th, cautious views were raised in the political circles regarding the analysis that former Governor Kim could become a rival to Representative Lee. Park Sung-joon, the senior deputy floor leader of the Democratic Party, said in a KBS radio interview, "Our party structure has now become a member-centered party," adding, "Only those who can align with this trend can be chosen. If not, it will be difficult." He explained that being a 'pro-Roh (pro-Roh Moo-hyun) or pro-Moon (pro-Moon Jae-in) heir' alone is not enough to become a force that threatens former Representative Lee.

Former Governor Kim himself also showed a cautious stance. At the airport when he returned the day before, he told reporters regarding his role, "I think my current position is that I need to work harder to observe, listen, learn, and make efforts."

Park Ji-won, a Democratic Party member who has raised the necessity of reinstating former Governor Kim, made a remark with a different nuance in a CBS radio interview, attracting attention. Park said, "Reinstatement should be done quickly," but added, "It should be done soon; if it happens at a decisive moment, the Democratic Party could be divided."

Meanwhile, after his return, former Governor Kim is known to have no public schedule except for attending the 15th anniversary memorial ceremony of former President Roh Moo-hyun (on the 23rd) and will spend time with family and acquaintances. Kim, who is a visiting professor at the London School of Economics (LSE), a prestigious university in the UK, plans to return in June, then travel to the United States to observe the U.S. presidential election. Afterwards, he is expected to visit Germany upon invitation from the Friedrich Ebert Foundation before returning to Korea.