[Column] The ‘5 Major Reform Plans’ of the Democratic Party Disappeared Along with Park Ji-hyun

Democratic Party Emergency Committee Resigns Completely
Five Major Reform Plans Also Fail

Park Ji-hyun, Co-Chair of the Emergency Response Committee of the Democratic Party of Korea, is entering the party leader's office at the National Assembly on the 2nd to attend a closed emergency response committee meeting. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

On the 24th, eight days before the June 1 local elections, Park Ji-hyun, co-chair of the Democratic Party's Emergency Response Committee, held a press conference at the National Assembly Communication Office to make a final public appeal to rally support. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Koo Chae-eun] “Chairman, what will happen to the five major reform proposals?”

“Are they going to be scrapped?”

“Please say a word about the reform proposals.”

“...”

At 11:20 a.m. on the 2nd, in the party leader meeting room of the National Assembly main building, dozens of reporters followed former emergency committee chairperson Park Ji-hyun as she left immediately after announcing the total resignation of the emergency committee. Questions such as “How do you see the cause of defeat?” and “Will you run for the party convention?” were asked, but Chairperson Park remained silent and hurriedly left the main building corridor. Then a question followed, “Didn’t you say you would start the reform right after the election?” Park hesitated but got into a car quickly without answering as she passed the National Assembly main building exit.

At 11:30 a.m., during the emergency committee back briefing by Chief Spokesperson Ko Yong-jin and the 2 p.m. press conference urging an emergency meeting of DeMinCho (Democratic Party’s first-term lawmakers group), the same questions poured in. They were about follow-up work on the reform proposals, the formation of an innovation committee, and the future direction of innovation. There were no sharp answers. Empty replies such as “We must discuss it overnight,” “It’s not a matter to be entrusted to a specific person,” and “We haven’t gathered the consensus of lawmakers” were given.

The five reform proposals of the Democratic Party, proposed by Chairperson Park on the 25th of last month and completed through emergency committee consensus, are: ‘▲A Younger Democratic Party, ▲A More Strict Democratic Party, ▲A Democratic Party That Keeps Promises, ▲A Democratic Party That Breaks Away from Violent Fandoms, ▲A Democratic Party Preparing for the Future.’ The impact was significant. Although there were noises with the party leadership over procedures and methods, many evaluated the content itself as ‘the right words.’ Chairperson Park touched on the party’s chronic ailments, which had been difficult to fix due to the complex interests of politicians.

Lee Jae-myung, the General Election Committee Chairman of the Democratic Party of Korea, and Yoon Ho-jung and Park Ji-hyun, Co-Chairpersons of the Joint Standing Election Committee, are watching the exit poll results of the June 1 local elections at the comprehensive situation room set up in the National Assembly on the 1st. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

Park Ji-hyun, Co-Chair of the Democratic Party's Central Election Countermeasures Committee, is attending the Central Election Countermeasures Meeting held at the National Assembly on the 31st and is talking with Kim Min-seok, Co-General Headquarters Director, during the meeting. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

However, due to the election defeat, discussions on the reform proposals have returned to zero. The party lost the election, and Chairperson Park’s position within the party to lead the reform work has disappeared. Now, the ‘blame game’ has begun. There are already talks such as “Someone is aiming to become the emergency committee’s supreme council member” or “A specific faction will gain power.”

The five major reform proposals, barely agreed upon after discord, have become futile. Power struggles, factional disputes, and lining up for party leadership are showing signs of restarting. On the same day, the People Power Party formed an innovation committee to improve the party’s structure and appointed former Board of Audit and Inspection Chairman Choi Jae-hyung as its chairperson.

In the Democratic Party leadership, which lost two consecutive elections, the realization that “a party refusing reflection and introspection cannot be chosen by the people” is still hard to find. If the reform discussions fade away along with Chairperson Park’s resignation, the party’s bad habits cannot be corrected. If reform discussions remain mere slogans that flare up only during elections and fail to fix the chronic ailments that have become the party’s Achilles’ heel over a long period, the Democratic Party will face a change of parliamentary power in two years.

Lee Jae-myung, the General Election Committee Chairman of the Democratic Party of Korea, and Park Ji-hyun, the Co-Chair of the Joint Standing Election Committee, are watching the exit poll results of the June 1 local elections at the comprehensive situation room set up in the National Assembly on the 1st. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

On the 31st, the comprehensive vote counting situation room of the Democratic Party of Korea, set up in the National Assembly Members' Office Building, appeared deserted as Lee Jae-myung, the overall election committee chairman, and others were absent. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

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