[Progressive-Conservative Youth Political Dialogue] On Fairness and Coexistence... "'Youth Exploitation' Is Not Acceptable"

[Asia Economy Reporters Park Cheol-eung and Kim Hye-min] The biggest topic in this general election for both ruling and opposition parties is 'youth.' Policies for the 2030 youth generation, often called the 'N-po generation,' are a political mission and a key factor that will influence the election outcome. Asia Economy conducted a dialogue with two prospective candidates who have cultivated politics as youth representatives. They fiercely debated the current status and future of youth politics from both progressive and conservative perspectives. Regarding future policies in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, they also promised a cooperative politics different from the established political circles.

Yeo Seon-ung (36), a prospective candidate for Songpa-byeong of the Democratic Party of Korea, served as a Gangnam District Council member, senior administrative officer at the Blue House under the Moon Jae-in administration, and head of the New Rules Group at Socar. Kim Byung-min (38), a prospective candidate for Gwangjin-gap of the Liberty Korea Party, was a Seocho District Council member at age 28 and served as a policy advisory member at the Yeouido Institute before being recruited as a talent by the Korean party last month. Both candidates have experience as local council members and served as vice president and president of their university student councils, respectively.

Yeon Seon-ung, Democratic Party preliminary candidate for Songpa-byeong (right), and Kim Byung-min, Korean Party preliminary candidate for Gwangjin-gap, are having a discussion. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

- The phrase 'Youth is hurting' reflects the pain and key issue of our society. How do you two, as youth politicians, view this?

◆Yeo = It is hard to deny. However, I question whether it is right to see youth as objects to be helped or beneficiaries from the perspective of elders. While serving as the Blue House Youth Communication Policy Officer, I traveled nationwide and met many young people. They are struggling but do not ask the state for help. They tell us to stop 'using youth for political gain.' For example, they reject the view that not having a good job means unhappiness and thus needing help. The lives of young people have become very diverse. Of course, it would be strange to say they are not struggling at all. Also, 20 to 30 years ago, the median age was in the mid-20s, but now it is 42. Since social entry is delayed, we should view policies as helping them receive education and adapt again.

◆Kim = Especially during elections, I think many young people dislike being used briefly by politicians. The expectations they have far exceed the current level of Korean society. I meet students at the school where I lecture. Younger people tend to want to keep up with change, but the vested interests and society are very slow to follow that change. The slowest place is politics. (laughs) We can generally diagnose that young people's social entry has been delayed and competition intensified due to socio-economic structural changes. It has become harder for those without vested interests to succeed. Buying a house has become more difficult. If previous seniors achieved 200 with 100 effort, now people put in 200 effort and cannot even get 100.

- To be specific, it's about jobs and housing.

◆Kim = As society develops, the number of high-quality young professionals increases. But on the other hand, people have life stages beyond second or even third careers. For example, recently, becoming a professor requires being 40 to 50 years old. The space for youth to enter through effort has shrunk.

◆Yeo = I think structural social changes play a big role. In the past, companies hired more people to increase productivity, but now, the bigger the company, the fewer people they employ because machines replace them. Future-oriented laws suited to this changed industry and labor environment are much needed. The established political circles are not responding properly to these changes.

◆Kim = I am convinced the government's real estate policy is wrong. They issued 18 policies, but instead of stabilizing housing prices, they worsened polarization unimaginably. Everyone wants to live in a good residential environment. The government should try to meet that desire, but instead, they only imposed regulations and patchwork policies. Young people pay over 700,000 won monthly rent near subway stations because of transportation convenience and housing stability. The government needs to consider these basic needs.

◆Yeo = It's easy to criticize government policies...

◆Kim = I am saying the government should stop regulating and allow the private sector and market to provide quality housing environments.

◆Yeo = I think the metropolitan area is the biggest problem. There are many vacant apartments in local areas. Of course, many young people live in the metropolitan area. The Democratic Party has pledged policies so youth can live in apartments. But fundamentally, the solution is to resolve the excessive concentration in the metropolitan area. Regional balanced development is more necessary.

◆Kim = Young people are very interested in real estate. Even those in their 20s study real estate hard. It's a very strange phenomenon.

- Historically, youth have played dynamic roles in modern Korean history. Now, interest in politics seems to have declined a lot.

◆Yeo = Asking 'Why are you indifferent to politics? Older generations tried to change the world, why can't you?' is not appropriate for the times. Again, youth lives have become very diverse. They no longer uniformly want to join companies and work as before. The concept of a lifelong job is gone, and perspectives on labor have changed greatly. The way of life they aspire to has changed. Jobs must also be matched. For example, Busan is a maritime city, so should it create many related jobs? I have felt that quantitative volume offensives have lost significance.

◆Kim = They are called the millennial generation. When I was in college, it was during former President Roh Moo-hyun's era. I think there was symbolic capital. That government, however, failed to solve youth pain. Tuition was less than 2 million won in 2000 when I entered university, but by 2007 when I was student council president, it had risen beyond imagination. The annual increase rate was double digits. It was only during the Lee Myung-bak administration that tuition freezes began. I don't want to compare regimes, but distrust in politics that does not represent youth seems to have deepened.

Yeon Seon-ung, Democratic Party preliminary candidate for Songpa-byeong (right), and Kim Byung-min, Korean Party preliminary candidate for Gwangjin-gap. Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

- Politics that fail to solve youth pain, do young people try to change it through political decision-making or participation themselves?

◆Kim = Youth do raise their voices, but it is hard to see them as a political organization. I don't think there is a 'great evil' like past dictatorships that must be overthrown through such organizations. I don't think youth turnout was low in past elections. Youth gathered in Gwanghwamun during the impeachment and raised voices during the recent 'Cho Kuk incident' at universities. But while youth were applauded in the past, now it's different. Chairman Yoo Si-min said 'the shadow of the Korean party is looming.' Or they say, 'Do you really know what you are talking about?' Vested politicians dismiss young people and distort and block their political participation. Although young people are needed in the National Assembly, there is a common sentiment across parties that 'what can those young people do?'

- Where do 'I-namja' stand?

◆Yeo = I think men in their early 20s are in a policy blind spot. That may be why dissatisfaction with the government is expressed. Of course, there is the military issue. That's why the volunteer military system is discussed. Since their social entry is delayed compared to women, politics should complement this. Looking at Democratic Party support rates, there is not much difference between men and women in their 20s.

◆Kim = I asked 'I-namja.' The current government cares for marginalized groups, but 'I-namja' feel they are unfairly discriminated against despite fulfilling military duties. It cannot be generalized, but institutional efforts to reduce gender conflict are needed.

- Along with 'fairness,' 'coexistence' has emerged as a youth topic.

◆Yeo = Vested politics is unfair and neglects future responses. Giving opportunities to new forces aligns with fairness values. We want to change vested interests and achieve generational replacement. Fairness is not about standing at the same starting line but recognizing differences and providing consideration. Institutional supplementation is necessary.

◆Kim = Fairness is necessary for coexistence. Youth anger over the 'Cho Kuk incident' was because fairness values were violated. The Moon Jae-in administration, which invoked fairness but was unfair, and former Minister Cho Kuk were called hypocrites. But when problems arise, there is no accountability. President Moon said he has a 'debt of gratitude' to Cho Kuk. I cannot accept that. We need to clearly explain and restore what is wrong and unfair in the entrance exam system, but the government unilaterally announced expanding regular admissions. Didn't they say education and entrance policies would be decided with the public through a public discussion committee?

◆Yeo = It is a very political incident. The prosecution conducted a brutal investigation of former Minister Cho Kuk, and facts are still unclear. I think there will be reevaluation later.

- How do youth view prosecution reform?

◆Kim = The prosecution reform issue through the candlelight spirit started with former Chief Woo Byung-woo. It is about the harm to the people when the prosecution cannot perform an independent role intertwined with the regime, so separating it from the living power is the essence of prosecution reform. The Moon administration had momentum in the first two years but could not do it because clearing deep-rooted evils was the top priority. Then, when the knife came down on former Minister Cho Kuk, would people accept prosecution reform properly if it was discussed then?

◆Yeo = Prosecution reform through the Corruption Investigation Office was a top pledge. Since investigations began on the regime, I think they naturally disagree with prosecution reform. Isn't judicialization of politics a problem? Issues that should be solved in Yeouido are going to Seocho-dong. Seeing policy issues fall into the hands of the prosecution, I felt the prosecution is an omnipotent and uncontrolled power in Korean society, increasing the need for reform.

- Why should youth support each party?

◆Yeo = The Democratic Party is relatively future-oriented. The Korean party is a vested interest party. The Democratic Party tries to change anyway. The message shown by recruiting many talents this time is such. Even looking at the Korean party trying to recruit former General Park Chan-joo, I think youth will choose the Democratic Party.

◆Kim = This brings up Won Jong-geon (laughs). I don't represent the party, but there were mistakes that did not meet public expectations. However, when there are shortcomings, they apologize and try hard to change. That means taking responsibility.

- Director Bong Joon-ho won an Academy Award, and past blacklist issues are being discussed again.

◆Kim = I think there is another blacklist under the current government. Conversely, there might be a whitelist. People close to the progressive camp related to the government are active on terrestrial broadcasting. Is it fair to make public broadcasting biased? So I think it is inappropriate to bring up past issues. This general election is a mid-term evaluation of the Moon Jae-in administration. They received tremendous support through the presidential and local elections. But despite many problems, this is the only election where responsibility can be held for a government that has taken none. Youth are not moving toward a Korea that produces opportunities based on dreams and hope. To correct biased and somewhat misguided directions, support and encouragement for conservative parties are needed.

◆Yeo = The opposition party naturally must persuade the public to criticize government policies and judge the regime. But we are youth politicians. I don't want to talk about old politics. If given a chance, I want to debate the future more.

◆Kim = I strongly agree.

Yeon Seon-ung, Democratic Party preliminary candidate for Songpa-byeong (right), and Kim Byung-min, Korean Party preliminary candidate for Gwangjin-gap. Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

- You are candidates for the general election. Why should you enter the National Assembly?

◆Yeo = I was head of the 'Socar New Politics Group.' I think I was the only politician in the midst of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. I felt that if the National Assembly does not respond to the future, it will lose growth momentum. There are many laws to change and create. Especially since the labor environment has changed greatly, related laws must be amended. I want to talk a lot in the National Assembly to broaden understanding of IT and mobility industries. Autonomous vehicles should no longer be called cars but robots. Legislation is needed to develop future robot industries. 'Tada' should not be seen as a simple transportation industry but as a new robot operating system industry. I want to play a role in resolving conflicts between old and new industries and creating new rules. The Youth Basic Act was first created under the Moon Jae-in government. Youth policy is defined as a national obligation. Young lawmakers must have generational representation and prepare for the future.

◆Kim = I strongly agree with the future topic. Politics must prepare ahead of the times. Although the Youth Basic Act passed, there are countless tasks ahead in detail. Last year, the National Assembly Future Research Institute released a report titled 'Warning from 2050.' It depicts a bleak future. Politics must get serious. I have three children and am very interested in low birthrate issues. I deeply feel why people do not have children. We must create concrete measures to turn not only childcare but also the bleak future for children into hope. Politics should not follow the times but legislate and supplement systems ahead of time.

- If the two candidates meet in the National Assembly, will things change a lot?

◆Yeo = You are aggressive (laughs).

◆Kim = Even if we fight, we could co-sponsor future-related bills.

◆Yeo = I think we will agree a lot on future-related issues. There is a generational gap. Acceptance of 'Tada' differs by generation. Also, there were few 30-something dual-income lawmakers with children. We can change a lot.

◆Kim = That's right. I am confident we can show new possibilities.