Kim Min-seok, leader of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, said he is "listening to many concerns and criticisms and thinking deeply" about Yong Hye-in, the nominee for minister of gender equality and family, who faces allegations ranging from preferential treatment in securing a proportional representation seat to mismanagement of the Basic Income Party.
Kim made the remarks on the 3rd on "Minti 07," a morning live program on the party's official YouTube channel Democratic Party TV, saying the party's position is to "listen to various views and wait and see."
Kim said the controversy differs in nature from the vetting disputes that typically surface during confirmation hearings. "At confirmation hearings, hidden wrongdoing comes to light and becomes an issue, but what is at issue this time is a judgment on facts that were already known without a hearing," he said. "It seems different from the usual case." He added that "the various voices and judgments of the public deserve respect in themselves and warrant consideration."
On relations with the Rebuilding Korea Party, Kim drew a line, saying an "alliance will happen unconditionally, but whether to merge is entirely undecided." He also told the party it "would be better to be careful about remarks that undermine the alliance."
He also expressed regret over recent critical comments directed at the Democratic Party and the government by Cho Kuk, head of the Rebuilding Korea Party's innovation policy institute. Asked to comment on Cho, Kim said, "This is not a problem that can be resolved by dividing our own ranks or keeping distance." He added, "What is needed is inclusiveness among leaders who can bring a broad camp together as one."
Kim continued, "I believe the Rebuilding Korea Party and the Democratic Party share the same roots. Someday we may have to go together." He said he felt "some regret, wishing he would play a role of warmly filling in what is lacking."
On the 1st, Cho noted that under the current Criminal Procedure Act a prosecution can be withdrawn only before a first-instance verdict is handed down, and warned that pushing to withdraw the criminal cases against President Lee Jae-myung could bring "political and legal failure." His comments came in relation to a special counsel bill on what the Democratic Party calls fabricated indictments under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration.
Kim also addressed confusion over whether merger talks between the two parties are under way. A day earlier, Rep. Park Beom-kye, head of the Democratic Party's grand unification task force, indicated that working-level discussions were taking place between Rep. Lee Hae-shik, who chairs the task force's Rebuilding Korea Party subcommittee, and Jung Chun-saeng, the Rebuilding Korea Party's secretary-general. Jung denied that. Kim said, "I will speak with Rep. Lee about the part Rep. Park got slightly wrong."
Kim also announced the creation of a banner task force within the party. "A one-line letter to the people — so the 'One-Line Letter Committee' launches today as the banner task force," he said, adding that Park Yu-jin, a Seoul Metropolitan Council member, had been named its head.
The task force will report directly to Kim Nam-joon, the party's publicity committee chair. "We have set up a command unit under publicity chair Kim Nam-joon that can wage a banner campaign tailored to each region," Kim said. "We will be able to respond on banners at a much faster pace."
The broadcast, the program's second, drew a peak of about 50,000 viewers, similar to the first. Park Hong-keun, minister of planning and budget, also appeared to explain the government's budget proposal.
