Shin Jeonghoon: "It's Time to End the Current Dues-Paying Member-Centered Nomination System"

Proposal for Internal Nomination System Reform at Jeonnam Innovation Forum
Kim Sunil Co-Chair: "A Political Revolution with Residents at the Center"
Major Upheaval Expected in Political Circles Ahead of Next Year's Local Elections

On the 7th, at the 70th Anniversary Hall of Suncheon National University, Shin Jeonghoon, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the launch ceremony of the Jeonnam Innovation Forum. Photo by a reader

On September 7, the "Jeonnam Innovation Forum" was launched at the Suncheon National University 70th Anniversary Hall, marking the official start of discussions on reforming the Democratic Party of Korea's internal nomination system.

At the launch ceremony, Shin Jeonghoon, a Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker representing Naju and Hwasun in South Jeolla Province and chairman of the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee, stated, "Korea can only be revived if Jeonnam politics changes," and publicly proposed a fundamental overhaul of the party's nomination system centered on dues-paying members, referring to it as a "nomination revolution."

He declared, "The current system centered on dues-paying members must end. Starting with the 2026 local elections, the entire nomination process should be made transparent and open, creating a structure where new figures can take on the challenge." His remarks were met with enthusiastic support from attendees.

This proposal signals a seismic shift in the political structure that has long been centered on dues-paying members. While there were concerns that the organizational strength and numbers built up over many years could be rendered powerless, there was also a sense of anticipation.

Kim Sunil, co-chair of the "Jeonnam Innovation Forum," described the current situation in South Jeolla as "bleak" in his opening remarks and strongly emphasized the need for political innovation. He said, "Today's event is one where citizens are at the center and are the true owners," adding, "Citizens themselves must step forward and call for political innovation." He further stressed, "In the midst of serious crises such as the looming collapse of the petrochemical complex and population decline, politics is failing to fulfill its role. Political innovation that makes residents the true owners will be the starting point for opening a new path."

Shin Jeonghoon's remarks on "nomination reform" came as a shock to those within the party who had been fiercely competing to recruit dues-paying members. For some politicians who had displayed confidence by boasting about their number of dues-paying members as a means to expand their influence within the party, this raised concerns that the "rules of the game" might change.

If the structure centered on dues-paying members is abolished, the organizational strength and numbers built up over many years will lose their power. This not only increases the likelihood that new figures and citizen-centered political forces will come to the forefront, but also inevitably puts pressure on those with vested interests to accept unavoidable change.

Meanwhile, the call for a nomination revolution raised alongside the launch of the "Jeonnam Innovation Forum" is expected to have a significant impact throughout the Democratic Party of Korea ahead of next year's local elections. If transparent nominations, free from the dominance of dues-paying members, are tested in South Jeolla, there is a strong possibility that this will spread nationwide.

The launch of the "Jeonnam Innovation Forum" is expected to become a new turning point in the Democratic Party of Korea's nomination system reform. Whether South Jeolla will establish itself as the birthplace of nomination reform within the Democratic Party, and how this change will shake up the existing political landscape, are emerging as the biggest points of interest in political circles going forward.

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