Park Ji-won: "I am a Smart Boy, Not an Old Boy... Will Run for Office in My Hometown"

"Leadership Already Shaky Faces Blow Over Nomination Rules"
"Even Park Ji-won Shakes Lee Jae-myung, Can He Endure Confrontation?"

The Innovation Committee of the Democratic Party has requested that 'old boys' with three or more terms refrain from running, but former National Intelligence Service Director Park Ji-won firmly expressed his intention to run, saying, "I am not an old boy, but a smart boy."

On the 14th, former Director Park said on YTN's 'News King Park Ji-hoon' program, "If there is anyone as intelligent and healthy as I am, and who speaks up for the Democratic Party fighting against the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, I say let them come forward."

Former National Intelligence Service Director Park Ji-won is responding to reporters' questions as he appears at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office on the 14th. Photo by Heo Young-han younghan@

On the 10th, the Innovation Committee urged the retirement of former and current multi-term lawmakers considered 'old boys,' announced nomination rules unfavorable to incumbent lawmakers, and proposed an innovation plan to abolish delegate voting rights at the party convention. Innovation Committee member Seo Bok-kyung even mentioned the names of former Director Park and former lawmaker Chun Jung-bae, asking them to retire.

However, former Director Park stated, "I am running (in the general election). I even visited my hometowns Haenam and Wando last weekend," adding, "The election is about my candidacy, and the decision on nominations is made by the nomination screening committee, not the Innovation Committee," affirming his firm intention to run.

Former Director Park said, "Nomination is not that easy. It's not easy to do politics sitting at a desk as a law school professor," and criticized the Innovation Committee, saying, "The successful history of the Innovation Committee includes Chairman Park Geun-hye and Chairman Kim Jong-in. They succeeded because they understood politics and were given full authority, including nominations. But what is this halfway measure?"

He expressed concern that changes to the nomination rules could cause party discord. Former Director Park advised, "I told Representative Lee Jae-myung not to talk about this (nomination rules). If you talk about nomination rules amid already shaky leadership, it will cause backlash and directly hit the representative," adding, "The election is eight months away, and nominations are seven months away. Are you going to replace incumbent lawmakers now? What about senior lawmakers? There is no problem, just leave them as they are," he pointed out.

He continued, "There is no need to cause this discord now. They are already shaking Representative Lee," and added, "I said, 'If even Park Ji-won shakes Representative Lee Jae-myung, can he endure it?' The Innovation Committee is doing a useless act, trying to cover up their own family issues by throwing out an issue and then disappearing, causing this discord."

Within the party, there are voices requesting 'old boys' to run in difficult constituencies. However, former Director Park responded, "That is my decision. The party decides on nominations, and the people decide on election outcomes," adding, "I will serve to restore Honam politics and develop my underdeveloped hometown. If I win there, I will aim for something bigger." He indicated that he will not run in difficult constituencies.

When asked by the host what would happen if the party requested him to change, he firmly stated, "That is my decision. I will not change," affirming his resolve.

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