Kim Min-seok slams Yoo Si-min's 'rotten smell' remarks as 'intellectual shift'

Kim Min-seok, a candidate for the leadership of the Democratic Party, has publicly rebuked author Yoo Si-min for his critical remarks about the ruling party. Yoo had likened the ruling party to a fish market that, if left unattended, would inevitably produce a foul odor, implying internal issues within the party. Kim countered Yoo's statement on Facebook, asserting that words like 'inevitable failure' and 'rotten smell' have no place in discussions among allies. He accused Yoo of distorting the president's words and crossing the line of commentary, suggesting Yoo's stance was merely another instance of an intellectual shifting their political alignment, similar to past figures like Kim Ji-ha, Cho Soon, and Lee Nak-yon.

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The words 'inevitable failure' and 'rotten smell' do not exist in the language of comrades.

Yoo Si-min had previously stated on a YouTube broadcast that the internal discord within the ruling party regarding prosecutorial reform was attributable to President Lee Jae-myung. He used the analogy of a fish market, where even the freshest fish can develop a stench if left unchecked, to illustrate his point about the party's internal problems.

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Politics that distorts and alters the president's words and crosses the line of commentary has even lost restraint and dignity.

Kim Min-seok declared that the Democratic Party would emerge victorious on both internal and external fronts. He stated his intention to respect Yoo's criticisms as those of someone re-entering politics, albeit with a different political perspective. Kim also indicated that the party would consider the implications if Yoo's remarks were to bolster the independent path of the Cho Kuk Innovation Party. He concluded by emphasizing the Democratic Party's commitment to reorganizing itself, changing leadership, and pursuing a path of unity, integration, and expansion.

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Even a fish market selling the highest quality fish will eventually smell fishy, and if left without any restrictions, all fish markets will emit a rotten smell.