Democratic Party Strengthens Leadership with Two-Track Approach: Innovation Meeting + Innovation Research Group

National Assembly Future Party Innovation Research Group Focuses on Legislative Research
Kim Dong-a "Will Keep Distance from Non-Parliamentary Innovation Meetings"
Innovation Meetings Discuss 'Regime Change' While Preparing for Presidential Election

Kim Yong-min, a Democratic Party lawmaker (re-elected, Namyangju City B, Gyeonggi Province), has established the 'Future Party Innovation Research Group (Innovation Research Group)' within the National Assembly. All Democratic Party lawmakers belonging to the Innovation Research Group are members of the largest faction within the party, the pro-Lee Jae-myung faction called the 'Democratic Party National Innovation Council (Innovation Council).' The Innovation Research Group is making efforts to establish direct democratic systems within the party, while the Innovation Council, which has about 1,000 members outside the National Assembly, is expected to emphasize 'regime change' in addition to political reform.

On the afternoon of the 26th, members attending the inaugural general meeting and special lecture of the Future Party Innovation Research Association held at the National Assembly are taking a commemorative photo. There are 40 Democratic Party members, including Kim Yong-min of the Democratic Party of Korea, and Jeong Chun-saeng of the Party for National Innovation as members. / Photo by Oh Ji-eun joy@

The Innovation Research Group was launched on the afternoon of the 26th under the leadership of Representative Kim Yong-min and research directors Kwon Hyang-yeop and Kim Dong-a. At the inaugural general meeting, Representative Kim Yong-min stated, "Along with the trend of strengthening party democracy, demands for direct democracy are increasing," adding, "Differences have begun to arise regarding the traditional elite-centered operation of Korean political parties." He further said, "It is time to consider how to harmonize these changes."

Within the National Assembly, the Innovation Research Group, and outside the Assembly, the Innovation Council discuss measures to strengthen 'party member sovereignty,' which the Democratic Party has emphasized. They lead discussions through these two channels. Kim Dong-a, who serves as the research director of the Innovation Research Group, said on the way out of the inaugural meeting, "We plan to keep some distance from the outside Innovation Council," explaining, "If we get too close to outside organizations, there can be problems like them becoming private factions within the party." He also revealed that the next Innovation Research Group meeting will devise a 'strategy to embrace people in their 20s and 30s.'

Accordingly, the Innovation Council seeks ways to increase communication with party members outside the National Assembly. In June, the Innovation Council announced an operational plan to allow party members to directly create policies by establishing 'policy task committees.' Additionally, the outside Innovation Council is expected to lead discourse related to 'regime change' centered around Representative Lee Jae-myung. Representatives of the Innovation Council stated in a phone interview, "We will discuss topics related to regime change."

The Innovation Council's outside standing committee members will hold a closed discussion on the 29th to set new directions for future activities and will decide on these at the second Innovation Joint Meeting scheduled for the 21st of next month.

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