Park Sung-min "The newly launched Innovation Committee should not be disparaged as a 'scarecrow' from the start"

Cold Evaluation and Emphasis on Restoring Ethics Within the Party
"Need to Present Agenda for Productive Discussions"

Former Democratic Party Supreme Council Member Park Sung-min said on the 19th that he was "half in doubt" about the role of the newly launched party Innovation Committee led by Professor Kim Eun-kyung of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies Law School, but added, "It is not right for some to belittle the newly appointed members as 'scarecrows' or 'figureheads' from the outset."

In an interview with BBS Radio's 'Jeon Young-shin's Morning Journal' on the same day, former Supreme Council Member Park emphasized, "The necessary role within the party is to support those who have made difficult decisions and to propose agendas so that productive discussions can proceed."

He mentioned two points regarding the operation direction of the Innovation Committee. First, Park said, "The most urgent task is for the Innovation Committee to conduct a cold evaluation of the Democratic Party," adding, "To innovate means to accurately understand our current position."

He continued, "I hope the Innovation Committee can conclude on which areas we are currently losing the trust of the people," adding, "This is because perspectives and thoughts differ depending on factions and supporters."

Former Senior Member of the Democratic Party of Korea, Park Seong-min. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Secondly, he mentioned the decision on the abolition or retention of Article 80 of the party constitution for restoring ethics within the party and the establishment of guidelines for parliamentary immunity. Former Supreme Council Member Park explained, "During Moon Jae-in's tenure as party leader, there was a provision to suspend the duties of party officials indicted on corruption charges, but now an exception clause has been created," adding, "If there is a possibility that it could be seen as political oppression, exceptions can be made through different resolutions. There is a debate on whether to maintain or abolish this."

He added, "Also, regarding the waiver of parliamentary immunity, I think a resolution and concrete guidelines that can lead to practical party actions are necessary."

Regarding the public opinion on abolishing the delegate system in connection with the envelope money allegations, he drew a line, saying, "There may be some influence, but that cannot be the essence or the whole of innovation."

Former Supreme Council Member Park said, "Abolishing the delegate system is certainly a topic that can be discussed, but if it takes too high a priority on the innovation agenda, other innovative intentions may lose momentum or be buried," adding, "We need to discard the false dichotomy that if you agree with abolishing the delegate system, you are a reformist, and if you disagree, you are vested interests, like a litmus test."

Regarding reports that a party name revision proposal is being discussed, he responded, "It can be done, but innovation in content is a more important prerequisite." Former Supreme Council Member Park said, "The public is criticizing that the content is rotten now, and just changing the packaging prettily is unlikely to be meaningfully accepted."

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