Kim says reform, not office, drew him to politics after Lee's criticism

Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Yong-min (김용민) said he began his political career because he had objectives to achieve, rather than because he wanted a position. In a Facebook post, he said he was working with colleagues on prosecution and judicial reforms to create a fair society. He said he would keep moving forward even if he lost his powers as a member of parliament. Chosun Ilbo's initial report and Hankook Ilbo dated the post to October 10, while Yonhap, SBS and a later Chosun report placed it on October 11. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]

The outlets interpreted Kim's remarks as a response to President Lee Jae-myung's October 9 post on X. Lee criticised people who demand high positions despite lacking ability, seek to shape appointments and national policy to their wishes, and then attack their own side under the banner of radical reform when unsuccessful. The reports said the remarks appeared directed at party hardliners opposing Kim Ji-yong (김지용), the nominee to head the serious-crimes investigation agency. Hankook Ilbo reported that Kim Yong-min did not specify whom his own Facebook post addressed. [ 3 , 6 ]

Kim Yong-min had previously warned that placing former prosecutors at the head of the investigation agency and throughout its leadership could reunite investigation and prosecution through personnel links with the prosecution agency, according to Yonhap. Chosun Ilbo reported that disagreements over the nominee continued ahead of an October 14 parliamentary confirmation hearing. It said some Democratic Party lawmakers and other governing-camp figures questioned the nominee's history of opposing prosecution reform, while the party leadership favoured testing his suitability at the hearing and restraining public criticism. [ 2 , 3 ]