People Power Party’s Evaluation Reform TF: "The Key Is Building a System Accepted by Both Party Members and the Public"

Collecting Feedback, Series of Roundtable Discussions Announced

The People Power Party has decided to commission an external research project while listening to both internal and external opinions in order to evaluate the party’s elected officials using objective data and indicators. The party’s goal is to establish an evaluation system that is convincing not only to party members but also to the general public.

Jung Heeyong, Secretary General and Chair of the Evaluation Innovation Task Force (TF) for elected officials of the People Power Party, is speaking at the second TF meeting held at the National Assembly on the 11th. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

The Innovation Task Force (TF) for Elected Officials of the People Power Party held its second meeting at the National Assembly on the 11th and approved concrete implementation measures to establish a transparent and objective evaluation system.

The Task Force plans to build on the principles of data-driven quantitative evaluation and region-specific support, which were introduced last year for mayors and heads of local governments at metropolitan and basic municipality levels, and this time aims to complete the evaluation system not only for Members of the National Assembly but also for regional and municipal councilors. In addition, the Task Force has prioritized reviewing ways to reflect the opinions of both the general public and party members in the evaluation of elected officials, as ensuring that these perspectives are represented is seen as a critical first step toward becoming a true “party of the people.”

The Task Force will operate a dual-track strategy to achieve this. First, it will collect feedback through comprehensive opinion gathering efforts, such as receiving online comments from all party-affiliated elected officials and holding a series of roundtable discussions. It also plans to commission external research projects to develop a customized evaluation system that reflects the characteristics of each elected official. The final proposal for the evaluation system, once prepared, will be announced in advance for public review for a certain period.

At the meeting, Jeong Heeyong, Secretary General of the party and Chair of the Task Force, emphasized, “While making party member–centered politics the backbone of the evaluation system, we will also strive to develop an evaluation system that can reach the general public.” TF member Jeong Dongman said, “We must keep in mind the spirit of putting the party ahead of ourselves,” and added, “The words and thoughts of party members should be at the core, but that core must always move forward with the general public in mind.”

Kim Seungsoo, TF member and the party’s Senior Deputy Floor Leader, explained, “When candidate nominations are made, most people believe that the process should be objective and fair. Even if we cannot achieve perfect objectivity, it is important that the nomination process is accepted by the majority.” TF member Kang Daesik added, “While the party’s principle is to focus on party members, the key is how far we can align ourselves with public expectations and create a system that the public can be convinced by.”

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