Park Jihyun Finally Announces Candidacy... "Welfare State Is the Path for the Democratic Party" (Comprehensive)

Four Policy Proposals for a Welfare State
In Declaration of Candidacy: "Will Prevent Sexual Violence from Taking Root... Will Definitely Cross the River of Joguk"

Former Co-Chairperson of the Democratic Party, Park Ji-hyun, is declaring her candidacy for party leader in front of the main gate of the National Assembly on the 15th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jun-yi] On the 15th, Park Ji-hyun, former co-chair of the Democratic Party of Korea's Emergency Response Committee, who declared her candidacy, proposed four policy agendas, saying, "We must move toward a warm welfare state community." She presented progressive agendas such as shortening working hours to strengthen labor rights and enacting the Gender Equality Public Procurement Act to eliminate discrimination against women.

At a press conference held in front of the National Assembly main gate that day, former Chair Park said, "The Democratic Party must be reborn as a clear policy party. First, it must return to being a party for the common people and the middle class."

She emphasized, "In our society, there are many people living difficult lives, including the poor, people with disabilities, single-parent families, and elderly living alone," adding, "A welfare state where all these people can live happily and freely is the path the Democratic Party must take."

Former Chair Park stated that she would implement policies that dramatically improve the quality of life to make the Democratic Party a progressive welfare state policy party. She said, "People work too many hours," and added, "We will promote legislation to reduce working hours and increase leisure and vacation time, gradually shortening the current 52-hour workweek to 40 hours."

She also said, "We will strengthen labor rights to ensure there is no discrimination in wages and welfare and that no one is injured while working," pledging to eliminate welfare discrimination. Furthermore, through strengthening the Serious Accident Punishment Act, she said, "We will become the party that responds first to the cries of workers."

She announced plans to pursue policies to eliminate discrimination against women. Former Chair Park said, "In the private sector, where discrimination is severe, incentives must be introduced to eliminate discrimination against women," and added, "We will enact the 'Gender Equality Public Procurement Act,' allowing only companies without discrimination in employment, promotion, childcare support, and wages to participate in public bids." She also pledged to implement measures to eradicate digital sex crimes, resolve wage discrimination, and address employment discontinuity.

Additionally, she said she would significantly strengthen national financial support for regional base universities to create a party for decentralization.

In her candidacy declaration that day, former Chair Park said, "I decided to run for party leader to transform the Democratic Party into an open party that better listens to diverse voices, a competent party that better takes care of people's livelihoods, and a party that better solves impending crises." She particularly stated, "I, Park Ji-hyun, will excise the rotten parts of the Democratic Party and patch the holes. I will definitely cross the river of the motherland."

She said, "The Democratic Party has not crossed the river of hypocrisy and double standards and is not prepared to part ways with the strong fandom that ruined the party. It must change. If the Democratic Party does not change, the people will suffer." She also said, "If experience is overly emphasized, it becomes vested interest and creates a political culture that excludes new figures."

Former Chair Park especially said, "The downfall of the Democratic Party is due to sexual crimes. We will establish a system that handles sexual crimes with a zero-tolerance principle so that the Democratic Party can never again be tainted by sexual violence." She continued, "We still have not crossed the river of the motherland because we have become vested interests," adding, "Without crossing the river of the motherland, there can be no true reflection or reform. I will definitely cross the river of the motherland."

When asked how she would respond if her candidacy registration were rejected, she replied, "I will think about it after being rejected," adding, "I believe the grounds for rejection are insufficient, so it will be accepted." Regarding future direction, she said, "I think I will discuss with young people what can be done for youth politics," emphasizing, "Since I am running for the Democratic Party leader, I want to continue my political career within the Democratic Party."

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