"Protect 'Bulkotdaejang' Park Ji-hyun"... Women in Their 2030s Take Action Again

2030 Women Rally Support for Park Ji-hyun... Nicknamed 'Fire Captain'
"Women Unite Votes Through Symbolic Figure Park Ji-hyun"
Park Ji-hyun Strongly Criticizes Youth Exclusion and Power-Based Sexual Crimes
Experts: "Supporters See Park as a Speaker Representing the Youth Generation"

Park Ji-hyun, Co-Chair of the Emergency Response Committee of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the Emergency Response Committee meeting held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 21st. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] Co-Chairperson Park Ji-hyun, who was regarded as the "Democratic Party's savior" in this presidential election, continues to receive support from women in their 20s and 30s. This political mobilization of women in their 20s and 30s had previously drawn attention due to the explosive support for Lee Jae-myung, the party's senior advisor.

On the 29th, Park’s official social media accounts and online communities were flooded with supportive comments from women in their 20s and 30s. Following the recent "Cheonan ship memorial post mistake," controversies regarding Park’s academic background and age surfaced, prompting these women to launch a counterattack through a relay of encouragement. They pointed out that even if one is young or does not have an outstanding academic background, one can still be fully validated by their abilities.

Some supporters also sent birthday wishes to Park on Twitter using hashtags. They referred to Park as the "Fire Captain," a nickname likely inspired by her past activism with the "Chujeokdan Bulkkot" (Tracking Team Fire), which brought the severity of digital sex crimes to public attention.

In political circles, the support from women for Park is viewed positively. At a discussion hosted by the Democratic Party’s National Women’s Committee on the 28th titled "The Meaning of the 20th Presidential Election and the Tasks of the June 1 Local Elections," Kim Eun-joo, director of the Korea Women’s Political Research Institute, said, "There is a unique characteristic among women in their 20s who want to participate in politics, which manifested as vote consolidation around a symbolic figure like Park Ji-hyun." She also analyzed that the Democratic Party’s recruitment of Park near the end of the presidential election was effective.

Kwon Soo-hyun, head of the Gender Politics Research Institute and the Women’s Political Power Democratic Solidarity, explained why women in their 20s and 30s are enthusiastic about Park: "Statements like 'I would even grab you by the collar' were exactly what women who were wavering about supporting the Democratic Party wanted to hear." She added, "Until now, there was no one in the Democratic Party who could represent them and speak up when truly necessary. The Democratic Party needs to show a different kind of politics to move forward."

On the 29th, birthday wishes and support messages for Park Ji-hyun, Emergency Response Committee Chair of the Democratic Party of Korea, are being posted on Twitter. Photo by Twitter capture

Park, who is credited with significantly consolidating the female vote in this presidential election, took on the role of the Democratic Party’s emergency committee chairperson immediately after the election. She has been drawing attention daily with her sharp remarks directed at the established political circles.

Park criticized the formation of President-elect Yoon Seok-youl’s transition committee, saying, "Youth were excluded." At a committee meeting held at the National Assembly on the 18th, she said, "The composition of the transition committee was the result of a decision not to consider gender quotas or regional balance," adding, "It was mainly composed of Seoul National University graduates and men in their 50s, with only four women out of 27 members. Not a single person in their 20s or 30s was included."

In particular, Park took a strong stance regarding the "power-type sex crimes," which have been cited as one of the reasons the Democratic Party lost public support. She strongly criticized ruling party figures who paid condolences at the funeral of the father of former Chungnam Governor Ahn Hee-jung, who is serving a prison sentence for sexually assaulting his secretary. In an interview with the YouTube channel "Dotface" on the 17th, Park said, "I was so angry that I felt like grabbing those men (ruling party figures who attended the funeral) by the collar."

Experts believe that women in their 20s and 30s see Park as a spokesperson representing them. Professor Lee Jun-han of the Department of Political Science and Diplomacy at Incheon National University analyzed, "There have been many cases where young women were appointed before, but shortcomings appeared during the verification process regarding representation, achievements, and influence. However, Park is evaluated based on clear achievements and results representing the younger generation, such as her work with Chujeokdan Bulkkot."

Professor Lee added, "Women in their 20s and 30s see Park as a speaker representing the youth generation. However, since she has only recently entered politics, it is necessary to observe her future trajectory and influence."

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