Park Ji-won "Whether Yoon or the Democratic Party... Are they doing well just because young people are involved?"

Wearing a 'Pink T-shirt' on Radio
"Not Just Looking Young, But a Young Person"
"Prosecutors Likely Won't Request Arrest Warrant for Lee Jae-myung"

The Innovation Committee of the Democratic Party of Korea has demanded the retirement of 'old boys' such as former National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director Park Ji-won ahead of next year's general election, but Park Ji-won responded by saying, "Are young people doing (politics) well?"

On the 17th, former NIS Director Park said on CBS's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show,' "Politics, or state affairs, require a harmony of 노장청 (the elderly, middle-aged, and youth), combining the planning of young people with the experience, wisdom, and insight of the elders," expressing this view.

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

Earlier, the Innovation Committee announced a reform plan centered on the retirement of 'old boys' with three or more terms, mentioning by name former NIS Director Park Ji-won and former lawmaker Cheon Jeong-bae, who are 'old boys' from Honam.

Nevertheless, Park Ji-won has not abandoned his intention to run. On the same day, he appeared on a radio show wearing a pink T-shirt symbolizing 'youth.' When the host said, "You look very young," he proudly replied, "I'm not just looking young; I am a young person."

He said, "Now, whether it's President Yoon Seok-yeol or the Democratic Party, young people are in charge, but are they doing well? Politics is a mess right now," adding, "Look at this. President Yoon has granted pardons three times, but the Democratic Party also bears responsibility. They should contact the presidential office and secure their share. That’s how it was done in the past."

Former NIS Director Park said, "The presidential office also makes demands to the opposition, and the opposition communicates with the Senior Secretary for Political Affairs to submit lists. Politics should be about communication, coordination, and integration, but because it has become politics of non-communication, stubbornness, and division, they end up taking everything for themselves," adding, "Then what can the Democratic Party say? That’s why experienced people need to do politics to harmonize with the youth." He suggested that the solution to non-communication politics lies in the 'experience' of politicians.

Regarding Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung's fourth summons by prosecutors over the 'Baekhyeon-dong preferential treatment suspicion' and the possibility of an arrest warrant, Park said, "That is just speculation. In my view, although Leader Lee is appearing today over the Baekhyeon-dong issue, it will not lead to an arrest warrant. There is no evidence."

He added, "They probably won’t even request an arrest warrant, because this is an evidence-centered trial system. If they request a warrant without securing such evidence and it gets dismissed, what would happen to the credibility of the Korean prosecution and Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon?" He explained that the prosecution is unlikely to request a warrant fearing the repercussions of dismissal in court.

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