SEOUL– Kim Chong-in, a veteran politician known as a “kingmaker” for helping major parties win key election victories, strongly suggested parting ways with main opposition presidential nominee Yoon Seok-youl on Tuesday, saying he no longer wishes to “talk about political matters.”
The remark threw into doubt widespread beliefs that Kim will head Yoon’s campaign.
“I no longer wish to talk about political matters,” Kim told reporters outside his office in Seoul when asked what he thinks of the current situation facing the main opposition People Power Party (PPP). “I’m going back to my everyday life.”
The remark came after reports that Kim was not happy with Yoon’s choice of Kim Byong-joon, another former PPP interim leader, as one of the committee’s standing chairmen.
When pressed on whether he plans to speak to or meet Yoon again, Kim refused to give details, saying only that his past remarks on the presidential election should offer clues to why he reached “this kind of decision.”
Yoon was also tightlipped when approached by reporters at local broadcaster MBN’s anniversary event.
“I don’t know,” he said of whether Kim will join his campaign. “Don’t ask me about what he says.”
Source: Yonhap News Agency