'Supreme Council Candidate' Park Sunwon: "I Will Serve as Operations Chief Within Leadership for Party Unity" [Ruling Party Convention Interview]

"Democratic Party has lost its sense of direction as the ruling party"

"Internal divisions have grown as the party lost its sense of purpose"

"Approval ratings will recover if we unite and work together"

"Demonstrating crisis detection ability to become a 'competent ruling party'"

Park Sunwon, a candidate in the August 17 Democratic Party of Korea National Convention Supreme Council election, highlighted his "crisis detection ability" as his main strength. Assemblyman Park diagnosed that the Democratic Party is currently "in a state where it has lost its sense of direction as the ruling party."

On July 1, during an interview with The Asia Business Daily at the National Assembly Members' Office Building, Park said, "It seems our party's transition from a 'fighting opposition party' to a 'competent ruling party' has been rather slow," adding, "After taking power, we lost our sense of purpose, and internal divisions have grown."

Park Sunwon, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, is being interviewed by The Asia Business Daily at the National Assembly. 2026.7.1 Photo by Kim Hyunmin

In this situation, Park explained that he decided to run because he believes he must put his "strength in crisis" to use. If elected as a Supreme Council member, he intends to serve as a kind of operations chief within the leadership, saying, "If a flood seems likely, I’ll clear the ditches in advance; if wild boars are expected, I’ll set up defensive measures—I will firmly guard the periphery." Park is regarded within the party as an expert in diplomacy, security, defense, and intelligence, having served as an administrator in the Strategic Office of the Blue House National Security Council, secretary for foreign affairs and national security at the Presidential Office, and first deputy director of the National Intelligence Service.

The following is a Q&A with Assemblyman Park:

-What motivated you to run?

▲ It’s a sense of crisis. Recently, the Democratic Party feels like the opposition, while the People Power Party seems like a ruling party that lacks the ability to get things done. Although we should be supporting the president and delivering results, I feel a sense of crisis that the party is failing to serve as a "bridge." I am quite skeptical about our party’s current capacity to respond to crises.

-What do you see as the problem?

▲ When we were the opposition, there was an urgent sense that we needed to regain power. Also, under a party leader who was a presidential contender, the Supreme Council, operations office, and strategy committee all seemed to function organically. That is no longer the case. The biggest difference is an issue of leadership.

-What kind of leadership do you think is needed?

▲ The public wants the ruling party to effectively support the government. For the sake of people’s happiness, cooperation with the government is most important. Next, we need someone who can proactively incorporate people’s difficulties into policy and demonstrate creative policy leadership.

Park Sunwon, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, is being interviewed by The Asia Business Daily at the National Assembly. July 1, 2026. Photo by Hyunmin Kim

-What are your strengths compared to other Supreme Council candidates?

▲ Crisis awareness. My first goal is to become a "strong guardian" for the party’s periphery. Also, with about a decade of experience living abroad in the United States, United Kingdom, China, Canada, and Japan, I want to bring a more international perspective to the party and take the Democratic Party to the next level.

-Both the president’s and the party’s approval ratings have declined since the local elections.

▲ If you don’t work and only fight, approval ratings will inevitably fall. Conversely, if you unite and work, they will inevitably rise. When the entire party shares a sense of purpose and looks in the same direction, the party will be unified as well.

-With internal conflict intensifying, how can the party achieve unity?

▲ Whoever becomes part of the leadership, inclusiveness is needed. There needs to be a sense that, regardless of who is elected party leader, there will be no disadvantage to me personally—that’s what puts people at ease. Conflicts intensify because people are anxious that losing in the party leadership race would be disastrous for them.

-If you become part of the leadership, what will your approach to the opposition be?

▲ Cooperation. Now is a time for both the ruling and opposition parties to join forces and take the country to the next level.

-What policy priorities should the next leadership focus on?

▲ The focus should be more on reforming the livelihoods and economy of everyday people. The increase in national wealth achieved during the first year of the Lee Jaemyung administration should be channeled promptly into a sound flow. If we ensure the healthy circulation of national wealth and create a multiplier effect, South Korea can achieve tremendous growth in a short period. Specifically, we need to provide pathways for young people to access education, jobs, and asset formation. For child care, the state needs to make bold investments and take responsibility for every new life from ages 0 to 5. In the security field, it is crucial to move from a state of cold peace with North Korea to a more proactive and active peace.

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