Political analyst Kim Sang-il issued a stark warning about the internal dynamics of the Democratic Party of Korea. On February 10, he suggested that if the dispute over nominating candidates for the second comprehensive special investigation escalates, the Democratic Party could potentially split. Kim believes that unresolved trust issues between the party and the presidential office might lead to political fissures evolving into deep-rooted conflicts. His comments reflect the ongoing tensions within the ruling party.
Appearing on News1TV’s “Fact and View,” Kim identified the core of the current conflict as a trust issue. He argued that if trust between the party and the presidential office remains broken, the party’s establishment could be seen as clinging to power. Kim warned that if this perception takes hold, conventional approaches may fail to resolve the issues. He hinted that the only option beyond maintaining the status quo might be a complete break.
Kim also drew parallels with historical cases. He referenced President Roh Moo-hyun’s tenure, asserting that the former Democratic faction failed to fully grasp the president’s political vision at that time.
He explained that Roh concluded he needed to break from existing structures to implement his agenda. Kim pointed out that this led to the creation of the United New Democratic Party, suggesting that the current situation could follow a similar path in the worst-case scenario.
Kim stressed the importance of party supporters’ reactions when the president and the ruling party are at odds. He noted that if the party consistently opposes the president’s position, supporters would likely find this difficult to accept.
Referring to Democratic Party leader Jeong Cheong-rae, Kim emphasized that regardless of the leader’s chosen path, political decisions must revolve around the president. He advocated for a clear stance of building upon the president’s achievements while addressing areas needing improvement.
Kim also commented on the apologies and regrets expressed by Leader Jeong and Supreme Council member Lee Seong-yun during the previous day’s Supreme Council meeting. He argued that these statements alone were insufficient to fully resolve the controversy. Kim emphasized that the issue originated from the president’s dissatisfaction and pointed out that subsequent conspiracy theories and allegations of political motives only inflamed the situation. He suggested that such statements essentially imply that the president’s concerns were unfounded.
Kim then addressed internal procedural issues related to the special investigation candidate nomination process. While acknowledging the importance of respecting party members’ rights, he criticized the contradiction of not providing adequate discussion opportunities to representatives. He suggested this could be perceived as an exercise of authority rather than a genuine effort to voice criticism against the president.
Furthermore, Kim expressed skepticism about a potential merger between the Democratic Party and the Justice Reform Party. He assessed that the Justice Reform Party leans further left than the Democratic Party, cautioning that a merger could limit moderate expansion.
He warned that losing a significant portion of the existing support base to attract a minority of new supporters could be a strategic misstep. Kim concluded that if trust between the party leader and the president remains fractured, the political costs of a merger would likely outweigh any potential benefits.
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