김민석, ‘18년 야인’ 거쳐 이재명 정부 첫 총리서 여당 대표로

Kim Min-seok, the 62-year-old member of parliament elected as the Daejeon Democratic Party's chairperson, addressed the parliamentary body on the 17th. He stated, "There will be a massive storm engulfing us," emphasizing, "After decades of perseverance and small wisdom, I will, along with my peers, and together with the incoming administration, definitely break through."

Upon accepting the position of Daejeon Democratic Party chairperson, Kim declared, "From today, the Democratic Party will rise like the dawn," focusing on socio-economic issues, expansion, and competent governance. Emanating from Seoul National University's student council, Kim is a prominent representative of the '86 generation,' who led student movements in the 1980s.

He entered politics in 1996 when he was elected to the National Assembly at the age of 32 in Seoul's Yongdeokpo constituency. He served as a secretary to the New Century Democratic Party chief during Kim Dae-jung's tenure in 2000. Kim's journey took a downward turn in 2002 when he stepped down from his parliamentary position to contest Seoul's mayoral election, which he won.

He then joined the National Reunification 21 movement, following the 'President candidate unification push group' (HanDanHo) controversy. This tumultuous political life extended over 18 years. Upon the establishment of the New Politics Alliance for Democracy in 2014, Kim opposed the change in the party's name and founded the Independent Democratic Party.

After the New Politics Alliance for Democracy renamed itself as the Democratic Party in 2016, he returned to the Independent Democratic Party. On the 21st, 18 years after his return to the National Assembly, Kim served as the chief whip in the Kim Jae-myeong cabinet. President Jae-myeong praised Kim for his role in the government's achievements during a public statement.

On the 18th, Kim visited the devastated coastal town of Geojedo in South Gyeongsang Province after it suffered severe damage from Typhoon Baitai. The next day, he paid respects to former President Kim Dae-jung's tomb in Gwangju, South Korea, and later visited the 5 May 1980 democratic martyrs' tomb in Jeonju and the 19th, the 17 May 2019 democratic martyrs' tomb in Gyeongju, paying tribute to former President Park Geun-hye.