[Interview] "The Atmosphere Has Changed Completely from 4 Years Ago... United Party, First-Term Members Speak Up and 'It Works'"

Park Su-yeong, Future United Party Lawmaker Leading the First-Term Members' Group

[Asia Economy Reporters Lee Ji-eun and Kim Hye-min] "Just four years ago, whether it was a workshop or a party caucus meeting, first-term lawmakers couldn't even utter a word. But in this National Assembly, more than half of the speeches were made by first-term lawmakers. A senior lawmaker called it a 'culture shock.' I believe the biggest factor is the sense of achievement they felt through the floor leader election and other events, realizing that 'first-term lawmakers can make their voices heard.'

Park Soo-young, a member of the Future United Party who leads the party's first-term lawmakers' group called 'Chosimmanri,' said in an interview with Asia Economy on the 3rd, "The voices coming from first-term lawmakers, which are different from those of people long immersed in politics, are our party's hope." He pointed out, "Being tied to factions and unable to express diverse voices was the biggest weakness of the United Party. Four years ago, faction leaders sat in the front seats, and if a first-term lawmaker said even a single word, they would immediately get a phone call. The atmosphere now is completely different from back then."

Park predicted that this 'different voice' could be a turning point for the United Party. He said, "On the other hand, the Democratic Party of Korea has become much more bureaucratized, as none of their first-term lawmakers have spoken out even during the 'Yoon Mi-hyang scandal,' merely parroting the party's official stance."

Park Soo-young, member of the United Future Party./Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

A clear example of the 'changed United Party' is the discussion on basic income. Park is also studying basic income by participating in the 'Korean Economy Forum in Transition,' a gathering of economic experts from both ruling and opposition parties. He said, "In the AI era and post-COVID era, moving partially toward basic income is undoubtedly the overall trend," but he also diagnosed, "The issue lies in how to handle the existing welfare system and by what means to achieve 'freedom from poverty.'" He added, "Local governments are already providing child allowances, elderly allowances, and youth allowances, and if basic income is implemented without organizing these, the finances will not be sustainable," emphasizing, "The existing welfare delivery system must be reorganized."

Park stressed the need to differentiate with a 'conservative basic income.' He said, "We must present our policies based on conservative core values and not just follow and respond. Based on the conservative value of equal opportunity, we should move toward the concept of 'basic opportunity' rather than basic income."

Meanwhile, a former Deputy Governor of Gyeonggi Province, Park revealed plans to create an 'Advanced Marine Triangle Belt' in Nam-gu Gap, Busan, leveraging his past experience in developing the Pangyo Techno Valley. Park said, "We will establish a triangle belt in Busan linking marine industry, finance, and research and development (R&D)."

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