Song Young-gil, a former leader of the Democratic Party running for the party leadership, said Monday that he had "pointed out that it is undesirable to monopolize President Roh Moo-hyun's legacy and try to exploit it politically."
Song made the remark during an appearance on MBC's "Cho Seung-won's News High Kick," referring to his earlier comment aimed at former party leader Jung Chung-rae — that Jung "had a falling-out with former President Roh and could not even attend his funeral" — for which he later apologized.
Asked whether his comment was a response to Jung emphasizing the "Roh Moo-hyun kids," Song said, "Yes," and claimed, "At the time, Jung was also on bad terms with Rohsamo (the association of people who love Roh Moo-hyun), and it was the same regarding me and former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok as well."
Regarding the dispute between former Prime Minister Kim and Jung over "self-interested politics," Song noted, "As Rep. Jung Chung-rae (former leader) says, everyone practices their own politics. But the question is whether that self-interested politics aligns with the interests of the Democratic Party and the Lee Jae-myung government, or whether they conflict with each other."
He continued, "For example, when the KOSPI broke past 5,000 and President Lee Jae-myung delivered his policy speech, the difference lies in whether one plays a role in properly supporting and promoting the president's achievements and results, or whether one only runs one's own program."
He then directly criticized Jung, saying, "The difference is whether that self-interested politics aligns with the direction currently demanded by party members and the public, or not."
