Kwon Young-se "8 Years of Absence, Time to Understand Our Party from the People's Perspective... Past Leadership Did Not Work"

Candidates Joo Ho-young and Lee Jong-bae, and Kwon Young-se and Cho Hae-jin, who are running for the Future United Party floor leader and policy committee chairman, are appealing for support at the elected members' general meeting held at the National Assembly on the 8th for the election of the floor leader and policy committee chairman. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporters Lee Ji-eun and Lim Chun-han] Kwon Young-se, the elected candidate challenging for the first floor leader position of the United Future Party in the 21st National Assembly, stated, "Past experiences, strategies, and leadership will no longer work," adding, "We must move forward on a bold path of change that embraces the new spirit of the times."

On the morning of the 8th, at the elected members' general meeting held at the National Assembly to elect the floor leader and policy committee chairman, Kwon said in his policy speech, "We need a new strategy to win the people over and crisis response capabilities that work together with the people."

He said, "I have been away from the National Assembly for eight years. I observed our party from the position of a party member and viewed the 20th National Assembly as one of the people," adding, "Although the eight-year gap is regrettable, it was enough time to understand our party from the people's perspective." The eight-year hiatus from legislative activities rather gave him an objective viewpoint.

Kwon said, "There were more moments of regret than success. The majority of the public likely shares a similar view," adding, "That feeling of regret is what brought me to this place today. I desperately need leadership to rebuild our party together with the 84 members present here."

He pointed out, "We must firmly protect what should be preserved while boldly moving toward change that embraces the new spirit of the times," adding, "Unfortunately, our party's current values and policies are significantly out of sync with the public's general perception. Progressive policies such as welfare and human rights, as well as economic and foreign-unification policies where we once had strengths, are being ignored by the public."

He emphasized the need to update the party's values and policies to resolve this. He said, "If elected as floor leader, I will promptly establish a 'Reconstruction and Innovation Special Committee.' We will transform the party's structure and expand its base by incorporating expert groups and civil society that oppose and criticize our party."

He also said, "We will become a policy party that cares for the people's lives and leads the overcoming of the economic crisis, a party for the people's livelihood," adding, "We will proactively present crisis response measures that resonate with the public and gain their support. We will innovate the party's policy organizations and the Yeouido Research Institute, strengthen networks with external experts, and transform the party into one overflowing with policies and content."

Additionally, he promised to open the path to becoming a youth party for the future through youth development programs and measures to implement mandatory youth nominations in local elections, and to achieve democratic and rational floor operations through a permanent members' general meeting system.

Jo Hae-jin, the candidate for policy committee chairman running as his running mate, said, "Including those who have never voted for us and may never easily do so?such as people from Honam, the Sewol Ferry incident, the April 3rd and May 18th incidents, the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union, the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, people in their 30s and 40s, activists from the 586 generation, and even extreme pro-Moon Jae-in supporters?we will create a party that embraces every single one of the 50 million Korean citizens as 'my people,' without excluding or rejecting anyone," adding, "We will build a party that starts from Honam, passes through the metropolitan area, and reaches Yeongnam."

He continued, "Rather than those who are well-off, we will build a party that first cares for those who start life at the back of the line, whose doors to opportunity are closed, who need someone's help, and who find it hard to get back up once they fall?those hopeless people whose life fate is decided early on," emphasizing, "We will create a party where words have fragrance and actions flow with dignity."

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