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Former Deputy Director Kim Yong of the Democratic Party's Institute for Democracy has secured support from 51 party lawmakers for his nomination in the parliamentary by-election. The Democratic Party leadership has expressed concerns regarding Mr. Kim's judicial risks, indicating a negative sentiment. In response, the People Power Party is moving to make this nomination issue a key election point.

Former Deputy Director Kim Yong of the Democratic Party of Korea's Institute for Democracy has successfully rallied internal support for his nomination in the parliamentary by-election. As of 11 AM on April 25, 2026, a total of 51 Democratic Party lawmakers' names appeared on a document titled 'List of Lawmakers Supporting Former Deputy Director Kim Yong's Recovery and Nomination.' Among them, 25 publicly expressed their support via Facebook or media interviews, while the remaining 26 are reported to have been contacted individually by Mr. Kim's supporter group to secure their backing. This outcome comes as Mr. Kim strongly pushes for a nomination, hoping to run in Gyeonggi Ansan-gap or Hanam-gap in the June 3 local elections.

▲ Former Deputy Director Kim Yong of the Democratic Party

The list of supporters includes numerous key figures, such as Supreme Council members Kang Deuk-gu, Lee Eon-ju, and Hwang Myung-sun, as well as Rep. Cho Jeong-sik, a special political advisor to the President, Rep. Seo Young-kyo, chairperson, and Rep. Park Sung-joon, secretary of the 'Special Committee for Fact-Finding on Allegations of Fabricated Indictments by the Yoon Seok-yeol Administration's Political Prosecutors,' along with Reps. Park Jie-won, Kim Seung-won, Jeon Yong-gi, Park Sun-won, Lee Geon-tae, and Lee Ju-hee. Earlier, on April 23, 2026, Mr. Kim also disclosed that about 20 lawmakers supported his nomination. The day before, he had raised his voice daily, demanding a nomination from the party leadership, mentioning that the Democratic Party was pursuing fabricated indictments by the Yoon Seok-yeol government's prosecution and stating, "If you ignore me, who is also undergoing a parliamentary investigation, it is self-denial." This series of actions is interpreted as a strategic move to solidify his internal support base and positively influence the nomination review. Mr. Kim's continuous pressure for nomination is intertwined with concerns about his judicial risks within the party, presenting a complex situation.

▲ Status of Securing Support from 51 Lawmakers

Former Deputy Director Kim Yong's pursuit of a nomination faces a significant obstacle: judicial risks. He was sentenced to prison in the appellate trial on charges of receiving money from private developers involved in the Daejang-dong development project and is currently awaiting a Supreme Court ruling. This judicial background is the primary reason for the negative sentiment within the Democratic Party of Korea's leadership regarding Mr. Kim's nomination. Secretary-General Cho Seung-rae, who is responsible for nomination practicalities, officially commented on April 23, 2026, regarding Mr. Kim's nomination issue, stating, "It seems there is a stronger opinion that there are more negative aspects than positive ones overall," indicating the party's internal atmosphere. It is analyzed that the party leadership is carefully reviewing the potential impact of nominating an individual with judicial risks on the overall election, under the principle of securing electoral victory. The leadership's cautious stance is interpreted as an intention to minimize potential negative effects on the party's image and election results.

▲ Judicial Risks and the Party Leadership's Deliberation

This internal nomination conflict within the Democratic Party is spreading externally, providing an opportunity for the People Power Party to launch an offensive. The People Power Party is attempting to highlight Mr. Kim's nomination issue as a major point of contention for the June 3 local elections. Floor Leader Song Eon-seok criticized on April 24, 2026, during a floor strategy meeting, asking, "Is a criminal record a medal of honor in the Democratic Party?" He strongly denounced, "As they indiscriminately bring back criminal 'old boys,' even former Deputy Director Kim, who was convicted in the second trial, is demanding, 'Give me a nomination certificate too.'" This is interpreted as a strategy to link Mr. Kim's judicial risks to the overall moral integrity of the Democratic Party, thereby influencing voters' sentiments. The Democratic Party is expected to face a triple challenge in deciding Mr. Kim's nomination: the demands of internal supporters, the leadership's cautious stance, and the opposition party's offensive. This complex situation is highly likely to trigger in-depth discussions on the Democratic Party's internal dynamics and nomination system ahead of the June 3 local elections.