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🇰🇷 South Korea /Elections & Politics

Kim Min-seok Apologizes for 2002 Party Departure at Roh Moo-hyun Memorial

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Kim Min-seok, a candidate for the Democratic Party leadership, apologized for his 2002 decision to leave the party and support a different presidential candidate.
  • He visited the memorial of former President Roh Moo-hyun, expressing deep regret for the pain his actions caused.
  • Kim attributed his subsequent 18 years out of the political spotlight to his past misjudgment.

Kim Min-seok, a contender for the leadership of South Korea's Democratic Party, has publicly apologized for his pivotal role in a 2002 political realignment that led to his departure from the party. Visiting the memorial of the late former President Roh Moo-hyun, Kim bowed his head in deep apology, stating, "I deeply apologize again for the pain caused to President Roh Moo-hyun and the 'Roh Moo-hyun Foundation' members due to my misjudgment and actions during the candidate unification and party departure process."

I deeply apologize again for the pain caused to President Roh Moo-hyun and the 'Roh Moo-hyun Foundation' members due to my misjudgment and actions during the candidate unification and party departure process.

— Kim Min-seokDuring his visit to former President Roh Moo-hyun's memorial.

In 2002, with the presidential election looming, Kim Min-seok left the Millennium Democratic Party to join the National Coalition for Reform, urging a unification between then-candidate Roh Moo-hyun and Chung Mong-joon. This move, he now admits, led to his 18 years in political obscurity. "My misjudgment and shortcomings at the time led to 18 years as a hermit," he stated.

My misjudgment and shortcomings at the time led to 18 years as a hermit.

— Kim Min-seokReflecting on his political career after leaving the party in 2002.

Reflecting on Roh Moo-hyun's words, Kim recalled the former president's autobiography, which mentioned that "official reconciliation was achieved by the order of the delegates" when Kim visited Bongha Village in 2008 as a supreme council member. Kim described Roh as a "deep and great person" and learned from the 2002 experience that "the power of the public and party members, rather than political engineering, is the essence of victory."

The power of the public and party members, rather than political engineering, is the essence of victory.

— Kim Min-seokReflecting on lessons learned from the 2002 election.

Kim reiterated his remorse on a television program the previous day, saying, "I have apologized thousands of times for the misjudgment and for not being able to explain sufficiently at the time. I will continue to apologize."

I have apologized thousands of times for the misjudgment and for not being able to explain sufficiently at the time. I will continue to apologize.

— Kim Min-seokOn a television program discussing his past actions.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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