Park Ji-hyun, Who Received 10,000 Text Bombs: "I Didn't Know It Would Be This Hard, I Thought About Quitting Many Times"

Park Ji-hyun, Co-Chair of the Emergency Response Committee of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the Incheon Election Countermeasures Committee launch event held at Incheon Gyeyang Station Plaza on the morning of the 19th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Gunchan] Park Jihyun, co-chair of the Emergency Response Committee of the Democratic Party of Korea, stated, "I took on the role of Emergency Response Committee Chair after the presidential election ended. I never imagined it would be this difficult. I don’t know how many times I thought I should have held out and refused until the end."

On the 30th, Park posted a message titled 'A Letter to Those Who Support Park Jihyun and the Democratic Party' on her Facebook page.

She said, "During the recent election campaign, I received over 50 handwritten letters. Reading those letters made me laugh and cry, and they gave me a lot of encouragement and strength. After enduring such difficult and overwhelming times, I am now almost at the finish line. If people hadn’t shared my pain and encouraged me, I might have stopped halfway. It was truly hard."

She continued, "It was not easy at all. Everywhere was filled with invisible walls. I even received text message bombs. I got 10,000 texts in a single day. I don’t know who these people are or what their intentions are. On one hand, it was heartbreaking; on the other, it was frustrating."

She added, "It’s difficult to change everything at once, but at least I thought the Democratic Party should regain the basic dignity and common sense it must have as a 'democratic' party. So I proposed that we promise the public to reflect and change."

She went on, "There was some commotion as the story spread that I was suddenly calling to drive out all the elderly, but after some pain, we made a promise. We resolved and announced that the five major innovation plans I proposed would be pursued after the election."

She said, "I really want to change the Democratic Party. From disregarding age regardless of ability, to discrimination and gaps based on education and region, I want to make sure these are no longer tolerated within the party. You just need to go to the polling station and vote. For our Democratic Party candidates. If the Democratic Party wins, I will truly put this into practice. I promise to achieve this with those who trust and stand with Park Jihyun."

Meanwhile, on the 28th, the Democratic Party held an emergency meeting of the Emergency Response Committee and accepted the innovation plans proposed by Park, announcing five directions for reform.

The Democratic Party stated that it will pursue innovation in five areas: △ a younger and more dynamic Democratic Party △ a stricter Democratic Party △ a Democratic Party that keeps promises more faithfully △ establishing firmer party discipline and fostering a healthy culture of debate △ legislative efforts to resolve polarization, climate crisis, national pension, population decline, and local and youth employment issues.

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