Kim Minseok: "Party Must Oversee and Monitor Leaders Who Turn Into Monarchs After Securing Nomination"

"We Must Ensure Our Endorsed Leaders Uphold Party Policies and Standards"

"We Will Establish a Rational System"

Kim Minseok, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, on September 15 expressed the party’s intention to monitor and hold local government heads affiliated with the party in check at the party level. He emphasized that the party should inspect them on behalf of the residents.

During the 'Joint Meeting of City and Provincial Party Committee Chairs' held at the Democratic Party headquarters that day, Leader Kim stated, “I believe the Central Party must fulfill its role as a responsible political party for local autonomy, centering on the 'Chamjoeun Local Government Committee' and the city and provincial parties. Since we have nominated candidates under the party's name, we must consistently monitor whether those who were elected as our nominees are upholding the party’s policies, course, and standards.”

Yonhap News Agency

He also said, “It is not right, from the perspective of local autonomy and democracy, to allow local government heads who behave as model party members to get nominated but then act like emperors after being elected. I believe it is necessary to discuss and establish an appropriate and reasonable system to address this.”

Leader Kim argued that, institutionally, local governments are currently left in a blind spot. He said, “I think the party should carry out inspection, oversight, encouragement, and support for local governments on behalf of residents, who do not yet possess institutional rights of checks and balances. Local governments may remain in areas with relatively lax oversight. Fulfilling this responsibility is our duty to the people, who have entrusted us not only with the overwhelming power of the central government but also with many local governments.”

He also highlighted that the performance of local government heads is directly proportional to the party’s success in the general election. He said, “Ahead of the general election, we must hear people in the regions where the Democratic Party governs say, ‘Things are different here,’ ‘The work gets done, basic income is better administered, outcomes are greater, transparency is higher, public finance is managed better, self-reliance is improved, national initiatives are undertaken, and governance is more democratic,’ and, ‘Our local government head is much more ethical.’ I believe this is the party’s most important strategy for winning the general election.”

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