Ex-Minjoo chief Kim disapproves of Moon's think tank

While the main opposition The Minjoo Party of Korea generally gestured at supporting its former chairman Moon Jae-in’s groundwork for next year’s presidential election, some ranking members let out disapproval over his policy keynote.

Among them was Kim Chong-in, the party’s former interim leader and incumbent proportional representative, who blamed Moon for “misunderstanding” the concept of economic democratization.

“(The think tank’s) slogan of achieving the economy’s growth and democratization at the same time is built on the premise that the latter conventionally hinders the former,” Kim said in an interview with MBC radio on Thursday.

“Economic democratization, however, does not hold back growth and this is what (Moon) has failed to understand properly.”

The 76-year-old economist, who formerly served as economic adviser for the ruling conservative Saenuri Party and its then-presidential candidate Park Geun-hye, is known as the initiator of the concept “economic democratization.”

His critical remark pointed at Moon’s incoming think tank, tentatively titled “People’s Growth,” which is expected to later convert into an election campaign brain center. Slated to kick off as early as within the month, the organization held a pre-launch symposium Thursday afternoon at Korea Press Center.

“The economic policies of the Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye administrations ended in utter failure,” Moon said in his keynote speech.

In order to achieve a change of government, according to the presidential hopeful, the nation should adopt a new economic paradigm.

“People’s growth means a just growth, a kind that returns the profits of economic development to individual households and puts people before companies.”

But Kim asserted that such ideas -- of balancing growth and democratization -- were already included in the concept of economic democratization.

The senior economist-turned-politician also added that the “growth” mentioned by Moon’s think tank is not very likely to take place.

“We have already stepped into a stage of low growth and are not likely to achieve growth beyond the 2 percent range,” he said.

The two former Minjoo Party chiefs have long held a tense relationship. Though Moon had actively invited Kim to take over the party’s leadership earlier this year, Kim has often expressed disapproval over the alleged power monopoly of the “pro-Moon” faction within the party.

The latter also often mentioned the need to create a new power group that does not involve conventional presidential front-runners, triggering speculation he may later unite forces with a runner-up candidate other than Moon.

Meanwhile, Kim mentioned Saenuri-affiliated Gyeonggi Gov. Nam Kyung-pil as a close discussion partner when it comes to economic agenda.

“We meet from time to time to discuss economic democratization,” Kim said.

He, however, denied the possibility of politically uniting with the ruling party politician, citing “dissent on the methodology.”　

By Bae Hyun-jung ()