'A matter of principle, unrelated to support for Kim Min-seok'
![Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Kim Young-jin delivers an acceptance speech after being elected chair of the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee at a plenary session on June 30. [Yonhap]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/07/02/rcv.YNA.20260630.PYH2026063021330001300_P1.jpg)
Kim Young-jin, a Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker aligned with President Lee Jae Myung, said Wednesday that it would be better to give a range of people the chance to serve as party leader rather than allowing one person to monopolize power through consecutive terms.
Speaking on MBC Radio's "Kim Jong-bae's Focus" that morning, Kim said, "It is necessary to give opportunities to a variety of people. I raised critical views even when Lee Jae Myung sought re-election as party leader at the time."
Kim stressed, however, that his remarks were "a matter of principle, unrelated to support for former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok." He added that former party leader Jung Chung-rae had served only one year — a by-election term rather than a full two-year term — and that Jung's decision to run again was driven by his own vision for leading the party more effectively, something party members would ultimately judge for themselves.
On the rising factional tensions ahead of the party leadership convention, Kim said the candidates carry considerable political weight. "The three current contenders have broadly similar political careers and standing, which is part of why the competition appears so intense," he said.
Asked whether the race was heating up because the next party leader would wield candidate nomination power ahead of the next general election, Kim acknowledged the factor was "very much lurking beneath the surface," but insisted that "the Democratic Party is not a party that conducts nominations through artificial means."
sunpine@heraldcorp.com
