KB News Desk
The ruling Democratic Party of Korea on Monday gestured towards reconciliation with its conservative rival People Power Party and hinted at solidarity with the Rebuilding Korea Party.
On Monday, Democratic Party chair Rep. Kim Min-seok met with People Power Party chair Rep. Jang Dong-hyeok and urged the two main parties to mend fences.
Speaking at the meeting, Kim expressed hopes that the two parties would build an “indestructible bridge to continue dialogue,” and that the parties’ leaders should meet frequently and without formalities.
The stance noticeably contrasted that of the Democratic Party under the leadership of Kim’s predecessor, Rep. Jung Chung-rae.
Jung and Jang were elected in August 2025, but the two leaders did not shake hands until a lunch meeting hosted by President Lee Jae Myung in September 2025.
Jung, a hardliner, had said that he would “never shake hands with anyone involved with insurrectionist forces,” referring to former President Yoon Suk Yeol and his attempt to instill marshall law in December 2024.
The new Democratic Party chair described Jang as a politician who “had shared the same goal in the process of lifting Yoon’s martial law.”
Despite Kim’s calls for reconciliation, the rival party leaders still locked horns over thorny political issues.
Jang urged the liberal bloc to take a forward-looking stance as a spat recently erupted over Supreme Court Chief Justice Jo Hee-de. Jo’s new picks for Supreme Court justices drew condemnation from the liberal bloc, which cited his failure to coordinate with the presidential office.
Jang referenced past grievances over a Supreme Court justice recommendation under the liberal Roh Moo-hyun administration two decades back. Although the presidential office was then disgruntled by the recommendation, Roh appointed the recommended justice in a show of respect for the judicial branch.
Kim responded that this year’s conflict between the Cheong Wa Dae and the Supreme Court requires a “normalization” of the process of Supreme Court justice nomination.
Jang also criticized the liberal bloc’s recent bid to launch a state-led 100 trillion won ($72.5 billion) fund from this year’s chip windfall. Decisions regarding how the fund would be spent should require greater oversight from the ruling party-dominated National Assembly, he argued.
Moreover, later on Monday, People Power Party lawmaker Rep. Lee Jin-sook filed a suit against Kim for his criminal insult against Lee.
In a Democratic Party primary speech on Aug. 15, Kim branded the lawmaker a “female (Adolf) Hitler,” accusing her of denying the significance of the Gwangju Democratic Uprising.
Aside from his engagement with the right-wing rival party, Kim on Monday expressed his intention to seek solidarity with the minor liberal Rebuilding Korea Party.
Kim announced during the Supreme Council meeting Monday that his party’s Rep. Lee Hae-sik will spearhead moves to achieve solidarity with the Rebuilding Korea Party. However, the Rebuilding Korea Party expressed regret over the Democratic Party’s unilateral decision.
During Kim’s meeting with Rebuilding Korea Party chair Rep. Shin Chang-sik, Kim said the two parties have “real-world issues” to deal with before determining whether the two parties could merge. Shin responded to Kim that restoring trust between the two parties is a prerequisite for further talks, citing “wounds that did not heal.”
Under Jung’s leadership, the Democratic Party pushed for a merger with the Rebuilding Korea Party in January before the June local election, but the negotiations collapsed months later.
