Kim Kyung-soo: "Former President Moon Jae-in Urges Unity for Regime Change"

Visit to the Graves of Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun
"I Will Create a World Where People Can Truly Live"

Former Gyeongnam Governor Kim Kyung-soo, who declared his candidacy for the 21st presidential election, stated on the 14th that he met with former President Moon Jae-in and received a request to "work together to ensure a regime change through this primary election."

On the same day, Kim visited the graves of the late Presidents Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun, then went to Pyeongsan Village in Yangsan, Gyeongnam, to meet with former President Moon.

Former Gyeongnam Governor and Democratic Party presidential candidate Kim Kyung-soo is talking with former President Moon Jae-in at the entrance of Moon's residence in Pyeongsan Village, Habuk-myeon, Yangsan City, Gyeongnam, on the afternoon of the 14th. Photo by Yonhap News

After the meeting with former President Moon, Kim told reporters, "(Former President Moon said) 'The issue of how to make regions a new growth engine for South Korea, including national balanced development and relocating the administrative capital, is something that South Korea urgently needs right now,' and he asked me to make efforts to ensure that such matters are realized in the governance of the next democratic government if a regime change occurs."

Also, "regarding national balanced development including the relocation of the administrative capital to Sejong, he mentioned that it is 'something South Korea urgently needs,'” Kim conveyed.

Kim announced that, to avoid hindering party unity during the primary, he would refrain from lining up incumbent lawmakers and instead form his primary campaign with youth and working-level staff at the forefront. Kim explained, "The campaign will be organized so that this election becomes a vision and policy competition centered on the generation responsible for South Korea's future, creating a new framework."

Regarding some candidates, including former lawmaker Kim Doo-kwan, declaring their withdrawal from the primary, Kim expressed regret, saying, "I hope the party manages well to prevent such situations from happening," but emphasized solidarity by stating, "The spirit of this early presidential election is for all democratic forces to unite and overwhelmingly achieve regime change, completely end internal strife, and create a national grand reform including constitutional amendment."