United Party Freshmen Meeting 'Let's Revive Yeouido Research Institute'

Yeoyeon Independence Issues to Be Reported to Leadership

The 'Chosimmanri,' a group of first-term lawmakers from the United Future Party, held a forum on the 9th at the National Assembly discussing reform plans for the Yeouido Research Institute. Assemblyman Park Su-young, who attended the forum, is delivering the opening remarks. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] First-term lawmakers of the United Future Party pointed out issues with the party's think tank, the Yeouido Research Institute (Yeoyeon), such as the short term of the director and unclear identity. The first-term lawmakers' group of the United Future Party, 'Chosimmanri,' consisting of 11 members including Park Soo-young, Jeon Ju-hye, Hwang Bo-seung-hee, and Lee Yong, held a discussion on the development plan for Yeoyeon on the 9th. The results of the discussion will be reported to Emergency Committee Chairman Kim Jong-in.

Park Soo-young said to reporters right after a closed-door discussion held at the National Assembly Members' Office Building, "The core issue is the independence of Yeoyeon. Since the party leader serves as the chairman of the board and appoints the director, the director's term averages less than one year," adding, "Because the director keeps changing, the biggest problem pointed out is the inability to conduct continuous research." He continued, "Yeoyeon's mission is unclear whether it is to conduct public opinion polls to win elections or to create national development strategies, which causes more confusion," and said, "The missions of Yeoyeon, the Policy Committee, and the Policy Bureau are mixed, so this part needs to be clarified."

Yeoyeon was established in 1995 during the Democratic Liberal Party era as Korea's first party policy research institute and was elevated to a research institute during the Saenuri Party in 2013. Yeoyeon's analytical reports have played an important role whenever the party decided on major policy directions. However, Yeoyeon has recently been evaluated as having revealed significant problems, not only failing to discover policy issues in the April 15 general election but also repeatedly missing the mark in public opinion polls.

A representative example is that Yeoyeon forecasted 150 seats even about a week before the general election. Lee Jong-in, Yeoyeon's senior research fellow, said at a discussion on "Causes and Measures for the United Future Party's General Election Defeat?" on the 20th of last month, "Until April 7, we forecasted 130 seats in constituencies. But the result was disastrous," adding, "We expected 20 proportional representation seats. That part was not far off." He continued, "The current Yeoyeon has many problems in organization, function, role, and capability," and said, "The expression 'brainless think tank' by a certain figure partly represents this."

Voices calling for the reconstruction of Yeoyeon are growing inside and outside the party. The senior research fellow emphasized, "Yeoyeon must properly fulfill its role, and the party must nurture it accordingly," adding, "Yeoyeon has faced crises since its establishment. At that time, Director Park Se-il boldly recruited despite various difficulties and played a central role in presenting the party's policies and vision, which later became the cornerstone for presidential and general election victories."

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