"No More Children Should Get Hurt" Democratic Party's 12th Recruitment Talent Is Taeho's Mother, Advocate of the 'Taeho-Yuchan Act'

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeon Jin-young] “I do not want to create a world where I regret not being able to protect anymore.”

The Democratic Party of Korea has recruited Lee Sohyun (37) from the civic group 'Moms Making Politics' as its 12th new member for this year's general election victory. Lee led the proposal of the ‘Taeho-Yuchan Act,’ which strengthens children's traffic safety. The bill includes the names of Lee’s children who were lost in an unfortunate traffic accident.

Lee Sohyun, the 12th recruit of the Democratic Party of Korea, is handing her membership application to Representative Lee Hae-chan at the party admission welcome ceremony held at the National Assembly on the 23rd. After losing her son Taeho in an unexpected accident last May, she led the proposal of the "Road Traffic Act and Sports Facilities Act Partial Amendment Bill" (Taeho-Yuchan Act) and has been urging the political circles and government to pass the bill. Photo by Yoon Dongju doso7@

On the morning of the 23rd, Lee held a press conference at the National Assembly and stated, “Regarding the safety and lives of children and ensuring that citizens live with peace of mind, I intend to work devotedly in a way that is not shameful to my child's name.”

In May 2019, she lost her 7-year-old son Taeho in an unexpected traffic accident. That morning, Lee sent her son off to a soccer club on a yellow school vehicle. The child did not return. The vehicle driver caused the accident by speeding and running a red light. Jung Yuchan, who was also in the car, became a 'star in the sky' as well.

After the accident, Lee found out that the vehicle the children were riding in was not a designated children's protection vehicle but a regular vehicle. The Road Traffic Act stipulates that vehicles used for transporting children to kindergartens, elementary schools, special schools, daycare centers, academies, and sports facilities must be registered and operated as 'children’s school buses.'

Children’s school buses must be equipped with stop signs and disembarkation confirmation devices, and at least one adult guardian must be on board. The soccer club was classified not as an educational facility but as a service goods store. Ultimately, the school vehicle carrying the children was a regular vehicle with only children on board and no adults except the driver.

“Something was wrong.” Seeing school vehicles still operating in legal blind spots, Lee thought the same tragedy must not be repeated. She posted a message on the Blue House National Petition Board saying, “The child I sent off in a vehicle to play soccer did not come back,” which received over 210,000 signatures.

She visited the National Assembly countless times to propose a bill to include all vehicles carrying children in the school bus registration system to strengthen management. She also joined hands with civic groups to urge the establishment of safety measures for children’s school buses. Lee has been campaigning for amendments to laws related to children’s life safety, in solidarity with other parents who lost children in traffic accidents like her son, up until recently.

Now, she will continue her activities as the Democratic Party’s 12th recruited talent. She said she initially rejected the party’s offer several times. At the press conference, Lee said, “Honestly, when I first received the recruitment offer, I rejected it, thinking it was absurd. Frankly, I didn’t even want to look toward Yeouido.” She added, “Repeated persuasion that ‘those who have suffered the most will desperately cling and achieve results’ opened my heart. I thought that preventing others’ pain in advance is a way to heal my own pain.”

The children’s life safety bills named after the children?Taeho-Yuchan Act, Haein Act, and Haneum Act?still have not passed the National Assembly. “It’s not just thirst; it’s like someone shedding tears of blood digging a well with their fingernails to change things through politics,” said Lee, who entered politics with urgency.

She emphasized, “Although my first child has passed away, my second child will be born in four months. Every life is precious. I do not want to create a world where we regret not being able to protect anymore.”

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