Kim Min-seok visits graves of former presidents, vows to build 'ruling party worthy of the name'

Kim Min-seok, a former prime minister running for the leadership of the Democratic Party of Korea, visited the graves of two former presidents on Friday, Constitution Day.

Kim paid his respects at the grave of the late President Kim Dae-jung at Seoul National Cemetery in the morning, then traveled to Bongha Village in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province, in the afternoon to visit the grave of the late President Roh Moo-hyun.

At the morning visit, attended by officials from the Kim Dae-jung Foundation and its academic institute, Kim said the next Lee Jae Myung government of popular sovereignty his party envisions "ultimately stands as an extension of the Kim Dae-jung line."

He added that if elected party leader, he would "inherit DJ's great legacy and rebuild a ruling party truly worthy of the name — one capable of reclaiming power."

In the guest book, he wrote a pledge to uphold the spirit of the South Korean constitution and build an irreplaceable nation. He also shared on social media his personal connection to the late president, recalling his time as the first chief of the party leader's secretariat during the Millennium Democratic Party era and expressing deep emotion at the prospect of carrying on Kim Dae-jung's legacy.

In the afternoon, Kim traveled to Bongha Village to bow his head again over a long-standing grievance within the opposition camp. Former South Gyeongsang Province Governor Kim Kyung-soo accompanied him.

Before the visit, Kim directly addressed the so-called "candidate unification council" episode from the 2002 presidential election. "The choice to pursue candidate unification and leave the party at the time left deep wounds in President Roh Moo-hyun, members of Rohsamo and countless other supporters," he said. "I bow my head and again sincerely apologize for that mistake."

Kim said former President Roh had reflected on 2002 in his autobiography and told him during a 2008 visit to Bongha Village as a supreme council member that an official reconciliation had been reached, respecting the decision of party delegates. "Thanks to President Roh's great generosity, I was able to return to politics and reach where I am today," he said. "I will engrave that lesson in my heart and make sure to bring to full bloom the 'world fit for people to live in' and the 'politics of unity' that former President Roh dreamed of."