Park Yongjin: "I Am Not Anti-Lee... I Am Part of the Lee Jae-myung Administration"

Dismisses "Anti-Lee Appointment" Narrative...
Says Factional Divide Ended on "Night of the Insurrection"
Regulatory Rationalization Committee: "As Simple and Clear as a Traffic Signal"
"Aim to Clear the Path Half a Step Ahead of the Administration"

On March 4, Park Yongjin, Vice Chairperson of the Presidential Committee for Regulatory Rationalization, stated, "I am not 'anti-Lee Jae-myung' (non-Lee Jae-myung faction). I am a person of Lee Jae-myung, and I am part of the Lee Jae-myung administration." This statement is interpreted as a direct rejection of the narrative that he was appointed to represent the anti-Lee faction, clarifying his intention to deliver results in his newly assigned role within the new administration.

Former Democratic Party lawmaker Yongjin Park is being interviewed on the 12th at Park One Tower in Yeouido, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang

During an interview with MBC Radio's 'Kim Jongbae's Focus', Vice Chairperson Park addressed repeated media descriptions of his appointment as "anti-Lee Jae-myung selection." He said, "Would the president have chosen me simply because I am anti-Lee Jae-myung? I believe it was not because of that, but rather due to expectations regarding my competence and my potential contributions." Citing his experience in the National Assembly's Political Affairs Committee and his legislative work related to capital markets and corporations, he explained, "Cheating is unacceptable, but I can help invigorate the system. The president entrusted me with this role based on those expectations."

On YTN Radio's 'Kim Youngsoo's The Interview', Park also commented on the internal factional landscape of the party. "Although I competed with Lee Jae-myung during his leadership, I actively supported him during the last presidential election," he said. "The distinction between anti-Lee and pro-Lee factions essentially disappeared on the night of the 12·12 military coup and the night of the insurrection. On that day, we rushed to the National Assembly, joined hands, and united to overcome the rebellion and win an early presidential election." He continued, "Now, isn't it natural to be part of the Lee Jae-myung administration? The debate over anti-Lee factions is something for the political sphere—it's not particularly meaningful."

Vice Chairperson Park characterized the role of the Regulatory Rationalization Committee as a "race against time." He said, "Regulation must be as simple and clear as a traffic signal. While the administration maintains the roads, the committee should be half a step ahead, clearing the path before the government gets there." He emphasized, however, that the committee will review regulations only within the bounds that do not compromise public safety or social justice, stressing the focus on "rationalization" rather than unconditional deregulation.

The Regulatory Rationalization Committee is a presidential body established under the Framework Act on Administrative Regulations, with the president serving as its chairperson. The committee is composed of between 35 and 50 members, including 17 ex officio government officials and 33 civilian members. Vice Chairperson Park predicted, "Once the appointment of committee members is finalized and the president grants final approval, the first meeting presided over by the president will likely be held between the end of March and early April."

Regarding the 'New Lee Jae-myung' phenomenon, Vice Chairperson Park said, "Isn't it only natural?" He pointed to similar trends during the administrations of former presidents Kim Dae-jung, Roh Moo-hyun, and Moon Jae-in, where new support bases were formed. "I have heard that even among older and conservative demographics, people have shifted their support after seeing a president who performs well," he said. Addressing the Democratic Party, he urged, "If the party forms a special committee to support the national policy agenda the president wishes to pursue, it will help prevent the support base from easily drifting away."

Meanwhile, on March 2, President Lee Jae-myung appointed Namgoong Bum, former CEO of S-1 Corporation, and Lee Byungtae, Professor Emeritus at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), as vice chairpersons of the Regulatory Rationalization Committee, alongside Park. The presidential office described these appointments as practical and integrative, encompassing both the ruling and opposition parties, as well as the private sector.

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