Kim Yong, a confidant of President Lee Jae Myung, on Tuesday said that he would "serve in the ranks" for the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, following the party's decision to drop him in its selection of parliamentary by-election candidates.
"Today, I take the decision by the (Democratic Party's candidate selection committee on Monday) seriously," Kim told reporters at the National Assembly on Tuesday.
"I respect the committee's deep consideration and strategic decision, and I will serve in the ranks for the party," Kim said. "If my sacrifice could lead to the Democratic Party's victory, I will happily sacrifice myself."
Kim is a longtime aide of the president. He was the spokesperson when Lee was the Gyeonggi Province governor and the vice chair of the party's think tank when Lee chaired the Democratic Party.
Kim was also considered a symbolic figure in the Democratic Party's prosecution reform drive. Since Lee assumed office in June 2025, the party has been rolling out reform measures to reduce the prosecution's power in response to what it has labeled politically motivated persecution against the liberal bloc during former President Yoon Suk Yeol's term.
Sentenced to five years of prison for bribery and illegal political fundraising in November 2023, Kim saw his conviction upheld in an appellate court in February 2025. Currently on bail, Kim has maintained that his criminal charges were based on fabricated evidence by a politically motivated prosecution.
Despite open support from scores of pro-Lee Democratic Party lawmakers for his by-election bid in Gyeonggi Province, however, Kim could not ascend to Democratic Party candidacy.
Rep. Jo Seoung-lae of the Democratic Party on Monday said the party decided it is "appropriate not to nominate Kim as a by-election candidate, based on the party's consideration of the impact a nomination of Kim would have" on the elections in June.
The party's announcement came along with its decision for former liberal lawmakers Lee Kwang-jae and Kim Nam-kuk, as well as former conservative lawmaker Kim Yong-nam, as candidates in by-elections for the three electoral districts of Hanam-A, Ansan-A and Pyeongtaek-B in Gyeonggi Province.
The Democratic Party, however, recognized Kim on Monday as a victim of politically motivated prosecution under the previous Yoon administration.
Meanwhile, two of Lee's aides in Cheong Wa Dae, namely Ha Jung-woo, the senior presidential secretary for artificial intelligence and future planning, and spokesperson Jeon Eun-su, offered their resignations as they are speculated to stand for election.
consnow@heraldcorp.com
