Kim Min-seok Extends Hand to Yong Hye-in While Taking Sharp Aim at Choo Mi-ae

Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok extended a hand to Yong Hye-in, a Basic Income Party lawmaker who withdrew from contention for the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family after nomination controversy, while continuing to sharpen his rhetoric against Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae.

According to political circles on the 14th, Kim appeared on the Democratic Party's YouTube broadcast that day and said of lawmaker Yong, who voluntarily withdrew from the ministerial nomination: "(Though she withdrew) lawmaker Yong has a role to play, so we will pursue progressive alliance more actively going forward."

It marks a reversal by Kim, who is known to have recommended Yong's withdrawal just days earlier.

Regarding Yong's concurrent service as a lawmaker and national assembly committee member, Kim drew a line by saying "it's not illegal" while adding "conventionally and by common sense, when someone does that, the usual understanding is that one position is relinquished."

While characterizing the withdrawal as a political decision reflecting "popular sentiment," he actually bolstered the case for political alliance with Yong as an individual and the Basic Income Party.

However, Kim's message toward Governor Choo was different.

On the 12th at the Gyeonggi Province Memorial Service for Democracy Movement Victims held at Moran Park in Namyangju, Governor Choo took issue with the nomination of Kim Ji-yong, a former prosecutor and candidate for head of the Major Crimes Investigation Agency, and criticized President Lee Jae-myung, saying: "We need to punish treasonous forces, so why are we cowering under their influence?"

Kim publicly fired back directly at this.

He said: "If we did a blind test and people heard that statement, how would they evaluate it?" and "If it's described as a statement from a responsible Democratic Party politician, a provincial governor, people would find it odd." He added: "There is a need for an explanation from Governor Choo herself regarding why she made such remarks."

Kim also issued a strong warning against in-party criticism of the president.

He said: "This is a time when we need to unite forces, and it seems we're heading into a situation similar to the prelude to when internal and external forces collaborated to impeach President Roh Moo-hyun when he needed to settle in, and I wonder if we're going in that direction. Now we must get our heads on straight and unite all together."

While he did not directly identify Governor Choo's remarks as a "prelude to impeachment," observers note that by addressing her presidential criticism on the same broadcast, the level of warning directed at in-party critical forces is considerable.

Tension between Kim and Governor Choo is not new.

On the 11th, marking 100 days since local governments took office, Kim announced that the Democratic Party would comprehensively review the budgets, projects, and pledges of Democratic-affiliated provincial and municipal leaders, saying: "Because we're from the same ruling party, rather than 'nice and easy,' we'll give firm 'whipping' to ensure things are done well."

In Gyeonggi Province, controversy continues over the appropriateness of Governor Choo's designation of provincial finances as virtually in a "default state" and her moves toward financial restructuring. There is speculation that if the Democratic Party's local government review includes Governor Choo's financial management and pledges, the "whipping" Kim forewarned could be directed at Gyeonggi Province.

Within four days, Kim's "whipping" has gone beyond inspection of local government policies and pledges to extend into open criticism of Governor Choo's political remarks.

While extending a hand again to lawmaker Yong from outside the party, saying "she has a role," even as she bears the political burden of ministerial candidate withdrawal, Kim is repeatedly taking sharp public aim at Governor Choo, a party senior and influential provincial leader, making his contrasting treatment of the two increasingly clear.

A political insider said: "While he allowed lawmaker Yong to quickly resolve controversy through the withdrawal and reopened the door to alliance, he's publicly applying brakes to Governor Choo over both local government operations and her message toward the president," adding: "Kim appears to be broadening extra-party alliances while tightening ranks within the party centered on the president."