24-Year-Old Park Seong-min as Party Supreme Council Member... Will 2030 Support Rate Recover?

Park Sung-min Appointed as Supreme Council Member... Youngest Ever in History
Democratic Party: "As a Young Woman, She Will Respond Swiftly to Gender Issues"
Expert: "Additional Measures Needed to Win Back Youth Votes"

Lee Nak-yeon, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, drew attention by surprisingly appointing Park Seong-min, a former youth spokesperson and one of the nominated Supreme Council members, on the 31st of last month. Born in 1996 and 24 years old this year, Park was appointed as the youth spokesperson last August through a public audition held on the Democratic Party's official YouTube channel "Sseum."
Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ga-yeon] Lee Nak-yeon, the newly appointed leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, made a surprise appointment of Park Seong-min (24), a former youth spokesperson, as a nominated Supreme Council member.

Since Park's appointment is interpreted as a commitment to not ignore the perspectives of young people, there is growing interest in whether this personnel move will help the Democratic Party regain support from the 20s and 30s generations. Experts pointed out that the personnel appointment should not remain merely symbolic.

Choi In-ho, the chief spokesperson of the Democratic Party, held a briefing at the National Assembly Communication Office on the 31st of last month and announced key party personnel appointments. Park Hong-bae, chairman of the National Financial Industry Labor Union, and former spokesperson Park were appointed as nominated Supreme Council members.

Born in 1996, Park is currently studying Korean Language and Literature at Korea University and was selected as a youth spokesperson through the Democratic Party's open audition last September. Recently, she issued comments representing the youth voice on issues such as the Incheon International Airport Corporation (In-guk-gong) regular employee conversion controversy and the clothing controversy involving Justice Party lawmaker Ryu Ho-jeong.

Park is the first university student to be appointed to the nominated Supreme Council member position, where the party leader can appoint two people. She is also the youngest Supreme Council member in the history of the Democratic Party. This is interpreted as Lee's intention to listen to the demands of young people and actively promote youth policies to gain their support.

Chief spokesperson Choi introduced her by saying, "Park Seong-min is not only a representative of youth but also a highly capable talent who has been highly evaluated as a youth spokesperson. In particular, as a young woman, she has the strength to respond quickly and sensitively to gender issues." He added, "She is the right person to communicate openly with young people about their difficulties, make suggestions to the party, and solve problems."

At a press conference that day, Lee said, "This is the fulfillment of my repeated promise to institutionalize the participation of youth and women in the party's decision-making process." It is known that Lee previously offered Park the Supreme Council member position, saying, "As a young person and a woman, you have a lot to do, and I believe you can perform well."

While Park's appointment has been evaluated as a bold personnel move, there are also expectations that this appointment could help regain the support of young voters in their 20s and 30s.

Lee Nak-yeon, the newly appointed leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at a press conference held on the 31st of last month in the party leader's meeting room at the National Assembly. Photo by Yonhap News.

Previously, the Democratic Party faced criticism from young people over the Incheon International Airport Corporation controversy and real estate regulation policies. In particular, as sexual misconduct issues involving party-affiliated local government heads surfaced one after another, the party was criticized for lacking gender sensitivity. Amid controversies such as "secondary victimization" related to the sexual harassment allegations against the late Park Won-soon, former mayor of Seoul, some female supporters in their 20s and 30s, considered a core support base, showed signs of drifting away.

At the time, former party leader Lee Hae-chan scolded a question about the party's response to the allegations against Mayor Park by saying, "That is not proper," and some Democratic Party lawmakers made remarks that could be interpreted as secondary victimization of the victim, causing controversy.

In this regard, Democratic Party lawmaker Yang Hyang-ja urged the party to improve gender sensitivity. On the 4th of last month, on YTN Radio's "Starting a New Morning," Yang said, "I apologize for the recent sexual scandal-related incidents," and added, "We need not just verbal apologies but a comprehensive overhaul of the Democratic Party's gender sensitivity, an apology in the form of action."

Meanwhile, some raised concerns that the personnel appointment might remain merely symbolic. Since the party has sometimes remained silent or issued delayed statements regarding the anger of young people over successive controversies, there are criticisms that the appointment is a "showy" political event aimed at winning young voters.

Some supporters responded, "Bringing in one person and saying 'I am on the side of young people' seems like a showy appointment," "Remaining silent on issues related to equal opportunity such as the Incheon International Airport Corporation controversy and the Cho Kuk scandal, and on gender equality issues like the late Mayor Park Won-soon case, seems like a showy appointment," and "I hope they show sincerity through new policies."

Experts emphasized that additional measures, including revitalizing the overall party atmosphere, should be taken beyond just appointing a youth Supreme Council member.

Political commentator Lee Jong-hoon told Asia Economy in a phone interview, "Who the Supreme Council member is is important, but what that person does well is more important," and suggested, "Appointing one person is a symbolic measure. Additional measures are needed to win back the votes of young people."

Lee added, "Many votes were lost due to criticism of real estate policies and gender sensitivity. That's why they appointed a symbolic figure who is a 'young woman + youth,' but so far, nothing beyond symbolic meaning has been shown, so we need to watch closely," and emphasized, "Moreover, since a new leader has come, revitalizing the overall party atmosphere is also necessary."

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