Former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok speaks at a meeting during his visit to SK hynix's Campus 4 in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, on Wednesday. [Yonhap]
Former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok speaks at a meeting during his visit to SK hynix's Campus 4 in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, on Wednesday. [Yonhap]

Former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok said Friday that he believes he is the only person in the Democratic Party of Korea to have directly overseen and led the party to victory in a general election, a presidential election and local elections. "In that sense, I think I have my own usefulness," he said.

Kim made the remarks during an appearance on CBS Radio's "Park Sung-tae's News Show," saying he has "a firm sense of direction on how to win elections."

On whether he would run for party leader at the Democratic Party's national convention scheduled for Aug. 17, Kim was guarded, saying he would "be able to speak definitively soon." Having completed his term as prime minister on Tuesday, he added that rather than assuming a leadership bid, "the time has come for the party to move toward broad debate, consolidation and reform."

On the party's future direction, Kim said unity is the foundation and expansion is essential. "I firmly believe that without building on unity as a foundation and expanding outward, the democratic forces cannot make the current administration a success, nor can they sustain consecutive responsibility or consecutive governance going forward," he said.

Asked about polling showing him leading in preferences for party leader, Kim said he saw it as reflecting "the judgment, expectations and demands of party members, supporters and citizens unaffiliated with any party — all of whom believe the party must change." He added that he would "take that responsibility seriously and do better."

On his relationship with former party leader Song Young-gil, who is also emerging as a leadership contender, Kim described him as "a sunbae and comrade whom I genuinely like," adding that the two share broad common ground on the direction the party should take. He also noted that both Jung Chung-rae, the former party leader, and Song had already served as party leader, while he had not.

Kim also addressed the deepening intraparty tensions ahead of the convention, saying "they will ultimately all be resolved." He said the Democratic Party has "a history of division that is far too painful to repeat" and cannot afford to fracture again over internal disputes.

On the question of prosecutors' supplementary investigation powers — a key sticking point in proposed amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure aimed at reforming the prosecution — Kim said Jung had on multiple occasions suggested that such powers should be retained. He added that former Rebuilding Korea Party leader Cho Kuk had raised the idea of allowing some exceptions to those powers, though Kim said he was unsure of Cho's current position. "There are various views, so we can bring them together and work things out," he said.

On solutions to youth issues, Kim said the foremost concern is "whether young people can really work hard, earn money and buy a home within a certain period of time," adding that marriage feels out of reach, jobs are scarce, desirable positions are hard to find and employers won't hire without experience. "It's a truly daunting problem," he said. "I wasn't able to find a satisfying answer during my time as prime minister, but I intend to focus on it when I return to the party."


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