[Minbohyeop Election] Lee Yeo-jin "Emphasizing the Role of Aides as Political Partners... Contributing to Innovation Inside and Outside the Party"

Interview with Minbohyup Presidential Candidate - No. 2 Candidate Lee Yeo-jin, Aide
"Aides are passionate party members and frontline political workers... Voices must be united to solve problems"
The only female candidate: "Sexual misconduct cases are not just gender issues but systemic vulnerabilities... Concerned about feminization perspective"

The Democratic Party Staff Association (Minbohyeop), which did not hesitate to speak harshly for party reform under the motto "We will speak our minds," will elect its 32nd president on the 7th. Minbohyeop issued a critical statement against the Democratic Party’s lack of reflection immediately after the presidential election defeat in March, and also brought to light and publicized incidents such as Representative Choi Kang-wook’s sexual harassment remarks and Representative Park Wan-joo’s sexual misconduct case. Amid self-reflection on "how did it come to this," Minbohyeop members have transitioned from ruling party staff to opposition party staff this year, marking a turning point requiring adaptation to change. The candidates for the next Minbohyeop presidency commonly emphasized strengthening the role of opposition party staff and reestablishing their status. They also showed differences in approach regarding raising sexual misconduct issues. Through interviews with the three candidates running in this election, we explored the future of the next Minbohyeop.

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] "Until now, staff members maintained a comrade-like relationship with lawmakers and held significant weight, but recently, the trend has shifted toward practical roles. To prevent staff from remaining mere professionals who have to watch the lawmakers’ backs, it is necessary to emphasize the role of staff. I will strengthen the vulnerable system so that staff voices can be better represented and contribute to innovation both inside and outside the party."

Lee Yeo-jin, a candidate for the 32nd Minbohyeop presidency, said this during an interview held on the 4th at the National Assembly Members’ Office Building, adding, "In this transitional period of internal and external party innovation, I will create an opportunity for Minbohyeop to develop."

Candidate Lee graduated from Seoul National University with a degree in economics and worked at Kyobo Securities before serving as secretary, secretary-general, and aide in the 19th, 20th, and 21st National Assemblies. Currently, she is an aide to Democratic Party Representative Jin Sun-mi and is the only female candidate among the contenders.

As it is time to wrap up issues such as the "Representative Park Wan-joo sexual misconduct case," which was publicized by the 31st Minbohyeop, her status as a female candidate is further highlighted. However, Candidate Lee explained, "Sexual misconduct cases are not simply limited to sexual issues but are problems created by a vulnerable system in the relationship setting between staff and lawmakers. Sexual issues were particularly vulnerable and sensational, which is why they attracted attention." She pledged to establish a permanent committee within the central party, implement regular checks on the pre-notification system for dismissal, and support the establishment of a National Assembly staff labor union.

The following is a Q&A.

- What motivated you to run?

The party is in the midst of innovation debates. While there is innovation needed within the party itself, there is also innovation related to the treatment of staff. In this transitional period requiring both internal and external party innovation, I will ensure Minbohyeop can have a stronger voice.

- What are your unique strengths?

I am the only female candidate. I worry that people might think I will focus only on sexual issues because of that. Women are still a minority among staff, so I can pay more careful attention to vulnerable points. Also, having started as a secretary and progressed to aide, experiencing various lawmakers’ offices, I understand the circumstances within the office building well.

- Your evaluation of Minbohyeop raising sexual misconduct issues

The incidents occurred within a vulnerable system between staff and lawmakers. Minbohyeop is not a dedicated sexual misconduct task force. However, the system was particularly vulnerable in terms of gender issues. It was created by the vulnerable treatment of staff and the relationship setting with lawmakers. Going forward, the system must be strengthened to allow warnings and prevention.

- Could you introduce your main pledges?

The staff labor union will be a great help in improving staff treatment. Once a union is formed, staff can negotiate directly with the secretariat without having to watch their backs. We can also aim for secretariat-level welfare. We will normalize holiday pay and concurrent duty allowances.

Also, I will create a "Staff Protection Center" to provide comprehensive support covering sexual harassment, industrial accidents, and psychological counseling.

Finally, it is necessary to strengthen the voice as a political group. Democratic Party staff are the most passionate party members and frontline practitioners. They know the reality well and have high loyalty to the party. It is necessary to institutionalize a staff committee within the central party. Minbohyeop can then voice the opinions gathered to the party’s decision-making process.