Kim Boo-kyum: "The Democratic Party Must Not Abandon Yeongnam to Regain Power... I Will Keep Striving for East-West Unity"

Kim Boo-kyum Leaves Message on SNS in Remembrance of Kim Dae-jung's 17th Anniversary

Former Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum stated on the 18th, “For the Democratic Party to regain the public’s trust and set out on the path to return to power, it must never give up on or abandon the Yeongnam region.”

On this day, through his social media account, Kim expressed his longing for the late President Kim Dae-jung on the 17th anniversary of his passing. He wrote, “Today, I call your name with feelings of regret and apology. I challenged the wall in Daegu time and again, but due to my shortcomings, I faced defeat. Many colleagues also took up the challenge to restore your values but could not achieve their goal.”

He continued, “The deep sense of loss felt by the countless colleagues who toiled the land in Yeongnam in the name of the Democratic Party still lingers as a scar.”

Former Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum Yonhap News

Addressing the party, he emphasized that they must not let go of the dream of becoming a national party. He said, “There are still colleagues who continue to till and plant seeds in the fields, though it is difficult and their spirits have not been broken.” He added, “A party that turns its back on the sweat shed by those colleagues can never become a true national party nor bear the fruit of national unity.”

He also said, “I trust that the party’s new leadership will truly embrace the voices of Yeongnam, including Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province, and pursue an inclusive politics that garners nationwide support beyond any one region.” He called on the leadership that took office through the August 17 party convention under Minseok Kim to carry forward the commitment to making the party truly national.

Kim also expressed his own willingness to continue these efforts, stating, “I, Kim Boo-kyum, will not stop striving toward the world that President Kim devoted his whole life to cultivating—a world where East and West become one, and the people are the true owners. May you, from heaven, watch over the path of democracy and harmony in this land, and grant warm comfort and courage to colleagues fighting in solitude in Yeongnam.”

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