[Interview] Park Jiwon, Driven by 'Young Initiative': "Supporting Clean Hydrogen in Saemangeum Is My Top Priority"

Strength in Government and Ruling Party Networks
Serving the Region Like My Own Parents
Delivering Results Within Two Years

"Urgently," "swiftly," and "with a sense of speed"...

These were the key words emphasized by Park Jiwon, the first ordinary party member to become a Supreme Council member of the Democratic Party of Korea and candidate for the June 3 by-election in the Gunsan-Gimje-Buan district of Jeonbuk, during an interview with The Asia Business Daily on May 28, 2026. As a member of the party leadership who has closely dealt with major issues, Park expressed his ambition to achieve results through rapid legislative activities during the two-year term as a by-election lawmaker. He cited his strengths as "policy understanding, drive, and an execution network that can connect the Lee Jaemyung administration with the Democratic Party leadership."

The first bill Park hopes to push forward after entering the National Assembly is legislation to support clean hydrogen. He said, "The core of Hyundai Motor Group's 9 trillion won investment in Saemangeum is hydrogen," adding, "Currently, the production cost of clean hydrogen is high, and without state-level support, industrialization is difficult." He continued, "I will establish a legal basis for clean hydrogen price gap support in the 'Hydrogen Economy Promotion and Hydrogen Safety Management Act,' and also revise the Saemangeum Project Act and related national subsidy laws."

On June 6, Park Jiwon, the Democratic Party candidate for the Jeonbuk Gunsan, Gimje, and Buan constituencies in the June 3 by-election, delivered a greeting at a talent welcome event held at the National Assembly. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

On the district's biggest issues, such as aging population and youth outflow, Park explained, "Money needs to circulate in rural and fishing villages so that local businesses can survive, young people will return, and regional extinction can be prevented." He added, "The Lee Jaemyung administration is working on creating a rural basic income ecosystem, but there are limitations in budget and selection criteria." He went on, "I will work to improve the criteria so that representative agricultural cities like Gimje, where agriculture is the main industry, can be included as recipients of rural basic income. I will also work to secure budgets to expand pilot projects in rural areas such as Buan and push for full-scale implementation."

Regarding the policy to expand soybean cultivation instead of rice, Park said, "It is important to maintain trust at the field level." He emphasized, "Even if the policy originated from the previous administration, the burden should not be shifted to farmers who have already invested and started cultivation based on trust in government policy. I will work to secure budgets for stable procurement, expand domestic soybean consumption, and promote linked projects for processing, school meals, and public sector consumption."

Addressing his rival, independent candidate and former lawmaker Kim Joungho, who is also running in Gunsan-Gimje-Buan, Park stated, "What Gimje, Buan, and Gunsan need right now is not politics that talk about past achievements, but politics that deliver results with speed within the next two years." He added, "Key regional issues such as the early establishment of Saemangeum social overhead capital (SOC), realization of Hyundai Motor's investment, and expansion of rural basic income can only be achieved by moving the government and the National Assembly together. Once I am in the National Assembly, I will promptly activate the necessary legislative, budgetary, and government consultation systems."

During the remaining campaign period, Park pledged to travel throughout the district with a heart of filial piety. He admitted, "I am well aware of concerns about my local ties," and honestly acknowledged them, saying, "I am taking this as a sign that I need to listen more and approach people with greater humility. I will build closeness and trust through tangible results."

He also emphasized his connection to Jeonbuk and Gimje. Park said, "After completing the Judicial Research and Training Institute, I returned to Jeonbuk without a moment's hesitation, built my family here, and have been raising my child in the region." He added, "My wife is from Mangyeong, Gimje. As a son-in-law of Gimje, I will serve the region and work with the same heart as I would serve my parents."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.