Kim Min-seok: "Internal Party Undermining Resembles Early Signs of Roh’s Impeachment"; Says Choo Mi-ae’s Remarks "Require an Explanation"

[Financial News] Kim Min-seok, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, expressed concern over criticism from some within the party directed at President Lee Jae Myung, saying, "This is a time when we should be joining forces, but I worry that we may be heading toward a situation similar to the early signs of the impeachment of President Roh Moo-hyun, when forces inside and outside the party joined together to try to impeach him as he was establishing himself."
Kim appeared on the Democratic Party TV’s official YouTube channel on the 14th and said, "I can understand when people outside the party do that, but sometimes I find this rather absurd," adding, "I feel that now is the time to get a grip and join forces."
The remarks appear to have come from Kim’s assessment that, at a time when President Lee’s approval ratings on state affairs have recently struggled, criticism of the president from some within the party has gone too far instead of the party uniting to overcome the situation. In particular, Kim criticized Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae, who had issued forceful remarks calling for a firm response to alleged insurrection forces in connection with prosecution reform. He said, "There is a strong possibility that people would not think those remarks came from a senior Democratic Party politician."
Kim pointedly said, "If people heard those remarks in a blind test without being told who made them, how would they evaluate them?" He added, "If they were told that the remarks came from a responsible Democratic Party politician and a provincial governor, I think people would find them puzzling."
He also called for an explanation, saying, "I feel that Governor Choo herself needs to explain why she made those remarks." The comment was directed at remarks Choo made on the 12th at the 2026 Gyeonggi Province Memorial Ceremony for Victims of the Democratization Movement, held at the Democratic Martyrs’ Cemetery at Moran Park in Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi Province. She said, "The president should punish the insurrection forces, so why is he anxiously relying on them and being dragged along by them?"
Choo made the remarks after Kim Ji-yong, a former prosecutor, was nominated as a candidate for head of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency. She argued that prosecution reform had been insufficient.
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