Kim Minseok: "A Candid Evaluation of Chung Was Needed, Hence 'Self-Serving Politics'"... Kim Eo-jun Reveals Kim's Actions During Martial Law

Kim Minseok Appears on Kim Eo-jun's YouTube Show to Address Allegations

Kim Minseok Says Party Was Informed of Intention to Finalize Criminal Procedure Act in May

Former Prime Minister Kim Minseok criticized former Democratic Party leader Chung Cheongrae on July 8 during the YouTube broadcast hosted by Kim Eo-jun, stating that Chung had engaged in "self-serving politics" during his tenure as party leader. Kim also addressed controversies regarding his actions during the period of martial law and the recent text message scandal involving Supreme Council member Kang Deukgu.

Appearing on the YouTube show "Kim Eo-jun's Humility is Difficult" that day, Kim Minseok explained, "During Chung's tenure as leader, the party's approval rating was about 20–25 percentage points lower than the president's. The results of the local elections also fell short of initial expectations. It is necessary to make a sober assessment of these two points, and I used the term 'self-serving politics' in the process of summarizing them."

He added, "No one is a saint, and it's impossible not to engage in self-serving politics to some extent. However, as the ruling party, I found shortcomings in whether we were aligned with party-government cooperation and whether personal desires and plans were appropriately restrained. There was also a lack of internal discussion and deliberation, so I used the term 'self-serving politics.'"

Regarding the proposed merger with the Reform Party of Justice, which Chung had raised, Kim Minseok said, "This should have been raised at the working level and gone through sufficient discussion and public debate among the leadership. Instead, it turned into an abrupt, bombshell announcement, which caused the issue to go awry."

Kim also refuted the controversy surrounding the post by Supreme Council member Kang Deukgu, which was uploaded and later deleted from social media, clarifying that it was not factual. The controversial message claimed that the president supported the integrated party convention, which differed from Kim's own position. In response, Kim stated, "That is not true, not even by 0.1%. If that were the case, at least the president, myself, or Chief Secretary Kang Hoon-sik would have known about it, but it was never mentioned." He explained, "Supreme Council member Kang wrote it in order to check with Hong Ikpyo, the President's Senior Secretary for Political Affairs. After confirming with Secretary Hong, it was not sent, but it was posted anyway."

Kim Minseok, former Prime Minister and Democratic Party presidential candidate (left), and former Representative Chung Cheongrae. Former Prime Minister Kim Minseok is saluting the national flag at the discussion hosted on July 7 at the National Assembly Members' Office Building, titled "Three Major Mega Projects and Local-Led Growth." Former Representative Chung Cheongrae is saluting the national flag while attending the inauguration ceremony of Mayor Yoo Donggyun at Mapo-gu Office in Mapo-gu, Seoul on July 7, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Regarding prosecutorial reform centered on the amendment of the Criminal Procedure Act, Kim Minseok said, "Finishing this before the party convention now depends on the party's capabilities. The party should proceed as quickly as possible, and if possible, it would be best to complete it by the end of July." He added, "I thought there was no need for unnecessary debate on supplementary investigative rights, so I suggested, 'Let's get it done by May.' There was consensus within the government, so we decided to hand it over to the party."

On why it was not completed in May, he said, "An agreement or forum between the party and the government was needed, but the party felt burdened, so it was handed over. Policy chief Han Jeongae heard about this, so the fact-checking is complete." Regarding his criticism of Chung Cheongrae as engaging in "self-serving politics" over prosecutorial reform, Kim explained, "During the first phase of reform, there were problems with process management, and in the second phase, things that could have been finished in May were delayed. I judged that these issues were linked to self-serving politics."

At the beginning of the broadcast, Kim Minseok described the circumstances in which he did not participate in the vote to lift martial law during the administration of former President Yoon Seokyeol. Kim explained that after taking cold medicine, he fell asleep early and, although he made it to the National Assembly, he was unable to enter the main chamber before the vote. Host Kim Eo-jun supported Kim's explanation by airing an interview with a citizen who assisted Kim when he entered the National Assembly and releasing CCTV footage from the main chamber at the time.

Meanwhile, Kim Minseok also remarked separately from his conflict with Chung Cheongrae over "self-serving politics," saying, "During his term as party leader, he made great efforts. Former Representative Chung has many strengths, but apart from that, I believe that engaging in critical debate as comrades is a necessary part of political discussion."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.