Democratic Party Forms '2020 The Innovation Committee'... "We Will Build a Century-Lasting Party"

Lee Nak-yeon, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending and presiding over the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 14th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Cheol-eung] The Democratic Party of Korea has decided to form a provisional '2020 The Innovation Committee' chaired by Assemblyman Kim Jong-min.

At the Supreme Council meeting on the 14th, Democratic Party leader Lee Nak-yeon stated, "We have resolved to form a provisional special committee called the '2020 The Innovation Committee' to prepare for the post-COVID-19 era," adding, "Assemblyman Kim Jong-min, a Supreme Council member, will serve as the chairperson, and he will prepare and report on the committee's composition and detailed activity plans."

The Democratic Party recalled that past innovation committees helped overcome crises or laid the groundwork for election victories. Leader Lee said, "The 2015 Moon Jae-in Innovation Committee revitalized the party, which had been torn apart by factional conflicts, through personnel reform and a nomination revolution. The 2018 Lee Hae-chan Innovation Committee built a system party and platform party, leading to election victories and enabling the successful holding of the party convention this summer despite the non-face-to-face situation caused by COVID-19."

Even after the landslide victory in the general election last April, the reason for forming the innovation committee was explained as aiming to become a 'smart party' and a 'century party.' Leader Lee said, "Having consecutively won the 2017 presidential election, the 2018 local elections, and the general election in April this year, the party has grown in size and the public's expectations have increased accordingly," adding, "We must transform into a smart party suited for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, a responsible party that performs necessary tasks without fail, and a competent party that achieves results in all matters."

He continued, "I hope it will become a future party that innovates and evolves on its own, a smart party, and a century party," emphasizing, "It must be modernized, streamlined, and smart."

Some speculate that this is in preparation for the by-elections in April next year, but Leader Lee has explained that this innovation committee is on a larger scale. On the 12th, he told reporters, "(The agenda of the innovation committee) goes beyond things like primary election rules."

Assemblyman Kim Young-bae, who serves as the Democratic Party's Political Affairs Director, appeared on MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' on the same day and said, "The 2015 Kim Sang-gon Innovation Committee was an innovation committee that made sharp reforms such as faction elimination and system establishment, but the current innovation committee should be seen as the role of an architect drawing up blueprints," adding, "It aims to address new era changes such as climate crisis issues, gender sensitivity, new ethical issues, and to improve the party's constitution so that it can be reborn as a party that repays the public's support."

He added, "Since preparations for important elections next year are also necessary, we must hurry this year to draw up the blueprints so that when renovating the new house, we won't be flustered and can remodel each part according to the public's expectations." When asked about specific tasks, he mentioned systems related to essential workers raised by Leader Lee and said, "It involves diagnosing and reorganizing the party's constitution and organizational structure."

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