Park Hyung-jun: "The Innovation Committee is a non-binding body... 'Advisory body' controversy is meaningless"

On the 14th, Park Hyung-jun, Chairman of the Innovation Integration Promotion Committee, Kim Sang-hoon, member of the Liberty Korea Party, Lee Yang-su, member of the Liberty Korea Party, Ji Sang-wook, member of the New Conservative Party, and Jung Woon-cheon, member of the New Conservative Party, along with other attendees of the Innovation Integration Promotion Committee, shouted "Fighting" before the start of the first meeting. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Park Hyung-jun, chairman of the Innovation and Integration Promotion Committee (Hyuktongwi), stated that the committee has no legal binding power and dismissed the controversy over it being an 'advisory body' as meaningless.

After holding the first meeting at the National Assembly Members' Office Building, Chairman Park told reporters, "Hyuktongwi is not an organization with legal enforcement power but a body that politically facilitates integration," adding, "The debate over whether it is an advisory body is not a valid argument."

He explained, "If it were an advisory body, there should be an entity to advise, but it is not. It is a voluntary organization formed jointly by civic groups, so there is no need to place much importance on whether it is called an advisory or consensus body," and added, "The committee members agreed on this." Previously, the New Conservative Party side participating in Hyuktongwi had stated that since the committee is merely an advisory body without enforcement power, its nature and composition should be reconsidered from the ground up.

Regarding the nature of Hyuktongwi, he described it as "a discussion body to deliberate various measures for future integration and innovation, thereby facilitating political integration through consensus." In response to New Conservative Party lawmaker Ji Sang-wook's claim during the meeting that previous discussions should be nullified, Park said, "We discussed such matters as well," and explained, "Although there were various discussions about the committee's composition, there were no major contentious issues, so we decided to return to the parties to gather further opinions."

Chairman Park stated, "Today, we exchanged opinions on how to operate Hyuktongwi going forward, the schedule ahead, and what issues should be discussed," adding, "The second meeting will be held tomorrow at 10 a.m." The second meeting on the 15th will focus on discussing the values that the integrated forces should pursue.

Meanwhile, attendees at the meeting included Korean Party lawmakers Kim Sang-hoon and Lee Yang-su, New Conservative Party lawmakers Jeong Un-cheon and Ji Sang-wook, Song Geun-jon, chairman of the Future Forward Party Integration Promotion Committee, Jeong Kyung-mo, vice chairman of the People's Voice Party Preparation Committee, Professor Kim Geun-sik of Gyeongnam National University affiliated with the Ahn Cheol-soo faction, Ahn Hyeong-hwan, secretary-general of the National Integration Solidarity, Lee Gap-san, standing representative of the Pan-Civic Social Organizations Coalition, Park In-hwan, representative of the Right Citizens' Social Solidarity, and Park Sang-deok, representative of the Nuclear Power National Solidarity.