Park Yong-jin: "Park Ji-hyun's Apology, a Courageous Statement... Meaningful Choice of Public Politics Over Fandom Politics"

At a forum titled "Challenges Left by the 20th Presidential Election in Korean Politics," held at the National Assembly on the morning of March 16 and hosted by the office of Park Yong-jin, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, Park is delivering a greeting.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Lee Gyehwa] Park Yongjin, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, evaluated Park Jihyun, co-chair of the Emergency Committee, who said "Please give the Democratic Party just one more chance" and vowed to change the party's political culture that relies on fandom, as "a courageous statement."

In an interview with CBS Radio's 'One Match' on the night of the 24th, Park said, "The Democratic Party has only repeated apologies, but responsible measures and actions have not followed, causing the public to turn away."

Park emphasized, "The party's political culture, expressed as fandom politics or text bombings, has gone beyond the seasoning level mentioned by former President Moon Jae-in. It is quite meaningful that Emergency Committee Chair Park Jihyun directly stated, 'We will move from fandom politics to mass politics.'"

He continued, "She is playing her role by showing determination to say sorry when sorry is due, acknowledge what was done well, and declare how things will be done going forward. Now is the time for the Democratic Party to reflect, apologize, innovate, and say it will change," he said.

When asked why the Democratic Party's approval rating has recently dropped so much, Park said, "Even party leader Lee Hae-chan apologized for the Cho Kuk incident, and leader Song Young-gil and Emergency Committee Chair Yoon Ho-jung have also continued to apologize, saying 'We have crossed Cho Kuk's river,' but the public feels that the pants have not been wet. Apologies without necessary responsible measures have piled up, and the public's disappointment with the Democratic Party of Korea does not seem to fade."

Regarding internal disagreements over Chair Park's apology, he said, "If there is backlash within the party, I think it is more necessary to break through that, form a majority, and create the will to change. I will stand beside Emergency Committee Chair Park Jihyun," he said.

Earlier, Kim Yong-min, a member of the Democratic Party and part of the hardline group 'Cheoreomhoe,' wrote on his Facebook that day, "You cannot win elections with apologies. Keeping promises already made is a better strategy than new promises." Yoon Ho-jung, the party's Emergency Committee Chair, also dismissed remarks about the 'retirement theory of the 586 generation' mentioned by Chair Park, saying at the launch ceremony of the Democratic Party's National Integration Political Reform Promotion Committee held at the National Assembly that morning, "There has been no consultation with the party. I understand it as a personal statement by Chair Park."