Park Kyuhwan: "The Number One Pro-Lee in the Democratic Party Is Jeong Cheongrae" [Current Affairs Show]

[Interview] Park Kyuhwan, Supreme Council Member of the Democratic Party of Korea, Known as a Pro-Jeong Figure

"Having Jeong Cheongrae Not Run, Creating a Situation Where the President Appoints the Party Leader, Is Abnormal"

"There Is a Move

■ Broadcast: The Asia Business Daily 'So Jongseop's Current Affairs Show' (Mon-Fri, 4-5 PM)

■ Host: Political Specialist So Jongseop ■ Producer: PD Lee Miri

■ Guest: Park Kyuhwan, Supreme Council Member of the Democratic Party of Korea (June 18)

※ When quoting this article, please be sure to cite 'So Jongseop's Current Affairs Show'.

So Jongseop: Hello, everyone. This is So Jongseop's Current Affairs Show. We are now connected by phone with Park Kyuhwan, Supreme Council Member of the Democratic Party of Korea. Council Member Park, hello?

Park Kyuhwan: Yes, nice to speak with you. This is Park Kyuhwan, Supreme Council Member of the Democratic Party of Korea.

So Jongseop: Thank you for making time for us.

Park Kyuhwan: Yes, thank you.

President Lee Jae-myung, returning home after the G7 summit and a tour of Europe, is greeting Jeong Cheong-rae, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, who came to welcome him at Seongnam Seoul Airport on the 18th. Photo by Yonhap News

So Jongseop: President Lee Jaemyung has returned to Korea. Jeong Cheongrae, the party leader, also went to Seongnam Airport to greet him. Reports mentioned a 90-degree bow. When the president left the country, only Prime Minister Kim Minseok was present, and Representative Jeong did not attend, which caused a lot of discussion. How did you view the scene at the president's return?

Park Kyuhwan: There was much talk about Jeong Cheongrae not attending the farewell event for the president's overseas trip. Many articles were published about it. But if you look at it straightforwardly, it's nothing complicated. There's no need for speculation or misunderstanding, but it seems there was some intentional media play. The Blue House explained the situation as it was: given the prolonged Middle East war and the issue of poor management by the National Election Commission, the party and the Blue House agreed to minimize the number of attendees at the farewell event, which is why he did not attend. There was excessive speculation and interpretation about it. Today, the party leader went to greet the president as he usually does. It was a courteous moment to thank the president for his hard work during the overseas tour.

So Jongseop: So you don't see it as the president 'passing over' Representative Jeong or trying to support Prime Minister Kim Minseok?

Park Kyuhwan: Of course not. There is a protocol for these things. In past administrations, when there were major pending issues or fierce political confrontation, party leaders also refrained from attending such farewell events. Referring to those precedents, Representative Jeong did not attend last time. This time, the president achieved significant results in Europe and was away from the country for a relatively long time, so it was appropriate to go out and greet him respectfully. Politicizing this too much is an overinterpretation. Our president is not someone who uses these ceremonies to exclude or pick anyone. So I would like to say that such interpretations are baseless speculation.

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So Jongseop: Isn't it because Prime Minister Kim Minseok attended the farewell when the president left, while the party leader did not, that these interpretations came out?

Park Kyuhwan: It is indeed unusual for the prime minister to attend the farewell ceremony. But from what I later heard, there was an urgent matter to report, so he had to be there. It's understandable. Since the president was going to be away for a long time, it was necessary to meet in person to report and deliver messages.

So Jongseop: After the local elections, President Lee Jaemyung remarked, "We lost where we should have won," which sparked discussions within the ruling party about responsibility for the local election results. It was a situation where it was neither a clear win nor a clear loss, leading to a blame game. What are your thoughts?

It is not factually accurate to say "The Democratic Party lost"

Park Kyuhwan: At the press conference, the president put it precisely: "We lost in places where we should have won." The president deeply reflected on this and said, "I take this as a warning from the people. It is a warning to the administration. We should be more humble." This is exactly how the Democratic Party leadership sees it. Compared to the local elections four years ago, we clearly won in terms of objective figures. In the competition between the People Power Party and the Democratic Party, the Democratic Party clearly won. But as you said, we lost where we should have won. Seoul, for example. That was painful—not just disappointing, but truly painful. We have been reflecting and criticizing ourselves, wondering why we lost and what went wrong.

So, even though we won, we could not wholeheartedly celebrate the results. The people gave us a victory, recognizing the achievements of the Lee Jaemyung administration, but at the same time, they issued a warning. That warning, I believe, is that we should have done better and should do even better in the future. The expectations for conservative governments and for progressive democratic governments are different. The people expect much more from us and hold us to higher standards. We take this warning to heart and are determined to work with greater humility and all our strength and dedication.

Therefore, it is not factually correct to say the Democratic Party lost or suffered a crushing defeat. Framing the blame game with that premise could cause division and confusion within our party, making it impossible to look ahead. We need to accurately assess what we accomplished, what we failed to do, what was painful or regrettable, and based on that, discuss our future together.

The blame game is not desirable; it is unreasonable to single out an individual

So Jongseop: In short, you are saying that the blame game is not desirable.

Park Kyuhwan: That's right. It is unreasonable to single out an individual for responsibility. The claim that "we suffered a crushing defeat so someone should resign" is based on a false premise. What matters is not just the fact that we lost where we should have won, as the president pointed out, but what exactly the warning from the people was and what it means. Truly fulfilling our responsibility as the ruling party means having open discussions about what policies and attitudes we should adopt to meet the people’s expectations.

So Jongseop: Lawmaker Lee Eonju recently mentioned that Jeong Cheongrae's comment, "Administrations are short-lived," touched a nerve and that the competition for party leadership has shifted to Jeong Cheongrae versus President Lee Jaemyung. What do you think?

Jeong Cheongrae is the number one pro-Lee, and there is no one in the Democratic Party who is not pro-Lee

Park Kyuhwan: I think that reflects the wishes of those who want to create such a narrative. The remark "administrations are short-lived" refers to President Lee Jaemyung's point that time is limited, and we must work as if four years were eight. During the press conference, he emphasized the need to work as if every day were the last day of his term. There isn't much time; this is not the time to argue over who is right or wrong, but to get things done. For example, by October 2, the Prosecution Service or the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency must be established. But now it is already mid-June, and as you know, the regular National Assembly begins in September. The party convention will be held, but the National Assembly must continue its work—this is our responsibility and obligation to the people who entrusted us with power.

In this sense, when he said there was not much time left, he meant that time is short and we must get to work. Interpreting that differently and using it as a basis for attack or for claims that the leadership race has shifted is neither factual nor appropriate. There is no one in the Democratic Party who is not pro-Lee. If we were to name a number one pro-Lee figure, it would be Jeong Cheongrae. All of the leadership is pro-Lee. Creating rival factions with different names is not something that should exist within the ruling party.

So Jongseop: There have been calls for Jeong Cheongrae to step aside. Lawmakers including Park Ji-won, Kim Youngjin, and Shin Jeonghoon have all made similar remarks. However, most interpretations are that Representative Jeong is preparing to run again. What are your thoughts?

There is a movement among party members encouraging Jeong Cheongrae to seek re-election

Park Kyuhwan: Frankly, telling someone not to run is not pleasant. Every Democratic Party member has the right to vote and to be a candidate. Why would you tell someone not to run? Wouldn't it be more honest to say who you want to see run? For healthy debate, it's better to openly support someone.

Especially in the case of Representative Jeong Cheongrae, while some say he should not run, there is also a movement among many party members encouraging him to seek re-election. They believe he has achieved significant reforms, such as abolishing the prosecution office, passing the Broadcasting Three Laws, establishing a special court for insurrection, and pushing for judicial reform, and that he has strongly supported the policy agenda of the Lee Jaemyung administration. It would be better for many people to run for party leader, to present their plans and aspirations, and to compete fairly. Excluding certain people is inappropriate.

So Jongseop: You are saying it is a sensitive time to comment publicly on whether Representative Jeong Cheongrae will run or not.

Park Kyuhwan: I do have my own thoughts. From an internal party perspective, Jeong Cheongrae has contributed greatly to realizing party member sovereignty and to aligning the Democratic Party with the Lee Jaemyung administration’s commitment to popular sovereignty. He has played a key role in establishing the Democratic Party as a party led by its members.

So Jongseop: The general view is that President Lee Jaemyung wants Prime Minister Kim Minseok to be the next party leader. In this situation, if Jeong Cheongrae decides to run, it could be interpreted as a challenge to the president. Wouldn't that be a burden?

It is not normal for the president to appear to designate the party leader by having Jeong Cheongrae not run

Park Kyuhwan: Well, from a commentator's perspective, the opposite could also happen. If President Lee wants Prime Minister Kim Minseok to become party leader and Representative Jeong does not run, it would appear as if the president is appointing the party leader, which is not normal. The president may have someone in mind for party leader, and Prime Minister Kim is certainly capable of fulfilling the role, as is Representative Jeong Cheongrae. Prime Minister Kim has built experience in the cabinet, while Representative Jeong has accumulated experience during his year as party leader. Party members all have their preferences and ideas about who is more suitable. If the two of them compete, isn't that something to celebrate? Why not make this party convention a festival? The president will not be designating or supporting a specific person like that.

So Jongseop: There is speculation that Jeong Cheongrae, Prime Minister Kim Minseok, and even lawmaker Song Younggil will run, making it a three-way race. What do you see as the key factors in determining the outcome?

Party members will focus on a strong leader who realizes party member sovereignty

Park Kyuhwan: This is the second year in office, and next year there will be no major elections. So the main concern for party members will be who can most strongly support the Lee Jaemyung administration's policy agenda. Another key point is party member sovereignty. Frankly, even within a party, there are entrenched interests, and we need a leader who will break down those structures and truly realize member-driven leadership. I believe these two points will be the most important to party members.

Another factor is the weaknesses exposed in the recent local elections. For example, we need to address the concerns of the younger generation in their 20s and 30s. Party members will pay close attention to each candidate's vision for youth policy and the future direction and policy content for the Democratic Party. If every candidate refines and presents their plans and aspirations in these areas, I think our members will gladly participate in this party convention.

So Jongseop: Thank you for your insightful comments.

Park Kyuhwan: Thank you.

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