Prime Minister nominee Kim Min-seok: "I'm a U.S. lawyer, and I'll contribute to Korea-U.S. relations"
Summary
- Prime Minister nominee Kim Min-seok emphasized that, as a U.S. lawyer, he can contribute to strengthening Korea-U.S. relations.
- He stated that his understanding of the U.S. Constitution and personal ties with key figures in the Donald Trump administration would assist him in his role as Prime Minister.
- He expressed his intention to help strengthen Korea-U.S. relations based on cooperation and trust between the two countries.
"I believe America's greatest exports are its Constitution and criminal procedure. The United States is a country that values its Constitution and laws, and I believe the U.S. Constitution offers many references for the direction our society should take moving forward."
Prime Minister nominee Kim Min-seok said this while meeting with reporters at the Financial Training Institute in Tongui-dong, Seoul, on the 10th, dismissing concerns about his history with student activism. When reporters raised concerns from some quarters that he might be anti-American, Kim responded, "Coincidentally, I attended the same school (Harvard University) as the former prime minister in the U.S., and due to my interest in the U.S. Constitution, I became a U.S. lawyer as well."
Kim added, "I have a deep understanding of the United States, and also have had personal relationships for quite some time with key figures from the Donald Trump administration." He continued, "Studying at law school and learning about the U.S. Constitution has helped me understand American politics, and as I fulfill my role as Prime Minister, it will also help me navigate Korea-U.S. relations."
Regarding the 1985 U.S. Cultural Center occupation—an incident Kim participated in—he said, "After the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement, it was an effective way to inform the world about the Gwangju issue." He continued, "That matter involved questioning what stance our ally and fellow democracy, the United States, had towards the (Jeon Du-hwan military coup)," adding, "More fundamentally, it was about publicizing the Gwangju Democratization Movement globally."
Kim commented, "During the recent Revolution of Light (the state of emergency declared by former President Yoon Seok-youl), the U.S. government consistently supported the people and democracy of Korea and did not side with the military rebel forces," adding, "Through that, both Korea and the United States gained historical experience and lessons."
Reporter: Lee Hyun-il, hiuneal@hankyung.com
Korea Economic Daily
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