Former presidential digital communications secretary Kim Nam-guk has been appointed as the spokesperson for the Democratic Party of Korea, two months after resigning due to a personnel solicitation controversy.
On the 23rd, the Democratic Party of Korea announced the appointment of Kim Nam-guk, former digital communications secretary in the presidential office, as the party spokesperson. This move comes two months after Kim resigned from his position amid a personnel solicitation controversy, where communications regarding personnel appointments were leaked. During a press briefing following the party's supreme committee meeting, senior spokesperson Park Soo-hyun confirmed the appointment. Kim expressed gratitude towards the party leadership and promised to effectively convey the voices of citizens and the party’s messages to the public.
Kim Nam-guk was elected to the National Assembly in 2020 and later joined the presidential office as a digital communications secretary after the inauguration of the Lee Jae-myung administration. However, he stepped down on December 8 of the previous year after it was revealed that he exchanged messages regarding personnel requests with other party officials, leading to considerable scrutiny. Kim is also associated with a faction within the party known for its loyalty to Lee Jae-myung, raising eyebrows about the implications of this appointment amidst internal party tensions.
The spokesperson, Park Soo-hyun, indicated that the decision to appoint Kim was mutually agreed upon by the party leadership, underscoring that Kim’s previous experience at the presidential office makes him suitable for understanding national agendas, particularly with important local elections around the corner. This appointment is viewed as an attempt to consolidate support among supporters of Lee Jae-myung within the party, suggesting a strategic maneuver by the current leadership to navigate through internal divisions swiftly while preparing for future electoral challenges.
