Democratic Party Expands External Reach ... Kim Min-seok: "Massive Recruitment of Fresh, Talented Figures"

Democratic Party of Korea Chair Kim Min-seok has launched efforts to recruit talent spanning reform, centrist, and conservative spectrums and to restructure the party organization.

According to political circles on the 26th, Chair Kim stated at the first meeting of the Grand Coalition Promotion Committee held in the National Assembly the previous day: "While clarifying our party's internal solidarity, we must simultaneously pursue recruitment of individuals from all sectors—progressive, reform, centrist, and conservative—for the party to become stronger."

He added, "We will massively recruit fresh and talented figures across the entire spectrum from reform to centrist and conservative camps."

The Grand Coalition Promotion Committee is headed by Representative Park Beom-gye and consists of a Progressive Alliance Division and a Cho Kuk Innovation Party Alliance Division, along with a Recruitment Expansion Division. It is structured to simultaneously pursue coalition with progressive sectors and recruitment of centrist-conservative talent.

Chair Kim agreed to establish an informal communication body called the "Five-Layer Progressive Corner Meeting" with Democratic Labor Party Chair Han Chang-min, Cho Kuk Innovation Party Chair Shin Jang-sik, Basic Income Party Floor Leader Yong Hye-in, and Progressive Party Floor Leader Yoon Jong-o.

The party has also kept open both possibilities of merger and coalition with the Cho Kuk Innovation Party. Chair Kim stated, "It is entirely unclear whether we will conclude with merger or with coalition rather than merger."

The party has also launched 10 special innovation bodies called "Megaten" for internal restructuring.

The Nomination Innovation Promotion Committee, headed by Representative Shin Jung-hoon, will develop nomination reform measures reflecting issues raised during the nomination process for the June 3 local elections and by-elections. Chair Kim stated that the party will consider holding discussions among all members during the reform measure development process and, if necessary, will examine implementing an all-member vote.

The Party Reform Promotion Committee is headed by former Gyeongnam Governor Kim Gyeong-soo. It operates three divisions: deliberative democracy, AI democracy, and discussion culture. Representative Kim Tae-nyeon serves as head of the Constitutional Amendment Promotion Committee.

In the youth sector, the "10-30s Youth Policy Committee" with Representatives Kim Han-gyu and Jeon Eun-soo as co-heads operates separately from the existing Youth and University Student Committee. A National Youth Culture Festival Promotion Committee headed by actor Lee Won-jong has also been established.

Chair Kim personally oversees the growth sector. He concurrently serves as chair of the Mega Growth Special Committee, with Representative Lee Gwang-jae positioned as senior vice chair, former Governor Kim Gyeong-soo as standing vice chair, and Representative Lee Eon-ju as vice chair. Divisional committees by region—Seoul, northern Gyeonggi, Gangwon, Incheon, Chungcheong, Daegu-North Gyeongsan, Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam, North Jeolla, and Gwangju-South Jeolla—have also been established.

In the livelihood sector, Representative Park Ji-won heads the "Friday Politics Alley Livelihood Committee," and in party diplomacy, Representative Park Jeong leads the US-China-Japan Party Diplomacy Promotion Committee. Chair Kim also announced plans to visit the United States within October to engage in party diplomacy.

A political circle official stated, "Chair Kim's simultaneous rollout of progressive coalition, recruitment of centrist-conservative talent, and nomination and party reform shortly after taking office reflects a plan to broaden both the party's support base and organization," adding, "The key will be how to unite forces and figures with different political orientations within a single party."