Kim Boo-kyum to compete with Lee Nak-yon for party leadership

Kim Boo-kyum, a former four-term lawmaker with the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, speaks during a press conference at the National Assembly in Seoul, Thursday, to declare his bid to run in a race for the party chairmanship. Korea Times photo by Oh Dae-geun

By Jung Da-min

Kim Boo-kyum, a former four-term lawmaker with the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), declared his bid for the chairmanship of the party, Thursday, less than two months ahead of its national convention set for Aug. 29.

He is one of two candidates, with the other being former Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon who announced he would run two days earlier.

“I will become a party chairman who takes full responsibility,” Kim said during a press conference at the National Assembly. “I promise that I will fulfill the duties of party chairman, during the two-year term, to fully help the Moon Jae-in government succeed and the ruling bloc win the next presidential election.”

Kim, in particular, vowed to fully serve the position's full two-year term once elected, rather than resigning in the middle to participate in the presidential election set to be held in March 2022.

Such remarks are seen to be aimed at his rival, Lee, a five-term lawmaker who had led the party's special committee dealing with the COVID-19 crisis until recently.

Lee is the strongest potential presidential contender according to opinion polls. If he runs in the presidential election after being elected as the party chairman, he would have to step down from the chairmanship by March 2021, as a party member running in the presidential election must quit the party leadership at least one year before the election according to internal regulations.

This situation has made some DPK members express concerns over whether Lee should take the chief position for just seven months.

“I will not run in the presidential election if I become the chairman of the party but will give my full support to help anyone who becomes the DPK's presidential candidate win the election,” Kim said.

He promised to pursue policies expanding employment insurance, completing the reform of the prosecution, making a breakthrough in strained inter-Korean relations and resolving soaring housing prices.