[Interview] Wonoe Candidate Kwon Ji-woong: "I Will Become the Supreme Council Member Who Represents the 'Ordinary People'"

"Creating the Democratic Party in the Post-Democratization Era"
A Party That Solves 'Kkangtong Jeonse' Instead of Prosecutorial Reform Laws
Freelancer and Non-Parliamentary Candidate for Supreme Council Member

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Junyi Park] "I believe we need Supreme Council members who live lives close to 'ordinary people.'"

On the 19th, Kwon Ji-woong, a former Emergency Committee member running for the Supreme Council of the Democratic Party of Korea, said in an interview with Asia Economy, "The Democratic Party is practicing 'pre-democratization era politics,'" and added, "There is a need for people with different priorities from the existing lawmakers to enter the party and create new politics."

Kwon, one of the seven non-incumbent Supreme Council candidates, explained that he is a freelancer, the head of a household, and an outsider to the party, saying, "People who live lives close to ordinary people should also be able to engage in politics." He explained that the reason the Democratic Party pushed forward with prosecutorial reform bills instead of focusing on livelihood issues after losing the presidential election was because the party lawmakers' views did not align with those of the general public. Kwon emphasized that ultimately, new forces capable of practicing 'post-democratization politics' must enter the party for the Democratic Party to innovate.

Kwon is a founding member of Mindalpengi Union, an organization addressing youth housing inequality, founding chairman of Mindalpengi Housing Cooperative, and has served as Seoul City's honorary deputy mayor for youth. He joined the Democratic Party in 2020 and served as the party's youth spokesperson. He joined the newly formed Emergency Committee as a member right after the presidential election in March this year, but all members resigned last month taking responsibility for the local election defeat.

Below is the Q&A.

- Why did you decide to run?

▲ The Democratic Party lost both the presidential and local elections. The public has said that the Democratic Party's performance over the past five years has been somewhat lacking. Naturally, there should be discussions about which direction to take. However, this party convention has turned into a contest over whether to agree with certain individuals or not.

The current situation looks less like a discussion about where the Democratic Party should head and more like a nomination competition. If Representative Lee Jae-myung becomes party leader, one side is likely to get nominations; if he doesn't do well, the other side will get them. From the public's perspective, this is disappointing. I thought we needed discussions that go beyond the factional conflicts and uniformity currently shown at the party convention.

- How do you think the Democratic Party's innovation should be carried out?

▲ We need to create a 'Democratic Party for the post-democratization era.' During the democratization generation, Korean society faced problems and resolved them through conflicts between conservatives and progressives. Back then, because we fought dictatorship, right and wrong, good and evil were clear. But what about now? Today's problems cannot be divided simply into right and wrong. For example, resolving the issue of converting irregular workers to regular workers is too complex to be solved as a matter of right or wrong.

- Is there a reason why this innovation must be led by new forces?

▲ I believe it must be done by people who can change priorities. For example, if you ask a three-term Democratic Party lawmaker where prosecutorial reform ranks in their priorities, it would probably be first or second. But for someone like me, it ranks around third or fourth. That is why, even after losing the presidential election, the first bill the party pushed through was prosecutorial reform. No matter how I look at it, I think issues like the anti-discrimination law and resolving empty lease problems should take precedence over prosecutorial reform.

This is not about right or wrong but about different life experiences. For example, I belong to a generation that has seen lives collapse due to socioeconomic inequality more closely than one that has experienced human rights violations by prosecutors. Therefore, for me, the problem of life paths being completely different depending on which school you attended or whose child you were born to was much more important than human rights violations by prosecutors. Honestly, I think the party should apologize for pushing through the prosecutorial reform bill?not because it was wrong, but because it was not the priority of this era.

- Among so many candidates, why should it be you?

▲ The Democratic Party needs to broaden public support by focusing on livelihood issues. The next two years will be a game of whether we can achieve that or not, and among the nine Supreme Council members, shouldn't there be at least one person like that? Especially, I think I am someone who can connect with 'ordinary life.' Most candidates are lawmakers, but I am a freelancer, a father of one child, and an outsider. Although I am somewhat distant from the central order, from the public's perspective, I am closer to an ordinary person. Even if I don't win, I came forward willingly to be a 'trigger' for people like me to start engaging in politics.

- It seems your candidacy overlaps with that of former co-Emergency Committee Chair Park Ji-hyun, who was also an outsider. What do you think?

▲ Looking at Park's declaration and statements, she continuously evaluates the reasons for the Democratic Party's defeat. I think that is necessary. While I agree with some parts and disagree with others, I generally agree with Park's evaluation of why the Democratic Party lost trust. One reason the current party convention looks soulless is that there is no one evaluating and proposing what to do based on that evaluation, and many are just saying what they will do going forward. There is a lack of self-reflection and messages of innovation.

However, I think it was inappropriate to excessively disparage the party's decisions during the process of qualifying for the election. Many people had expectations and supported Park until then, but it seems that this caused them to turn their backs on her.

- Are you considering unification before the cutoff?

▲ I am not saying I will unify already, but I plan to appear in the media, interviews, and press conferences with candidates who share similar problem awareness. Candidates like Kim Ji-soo and Park Young-hoon for Supreme Council and Lee Dong-hak for party leader are trying to present alternatives that transcend the politics of this era.

- What kind of Supreme Council member do you want to be?

▲ Ultimately, I want to be a Supreme Council member who can talk about livelihood politics. Shouldn't there be at least one Supreme Council member who can focus on freelancers' lease loan problems? How to persuade people who are not convinced by political strife is the Democratic Party's challenge. I believe that by gaining the trust of such citizens, we can become a mass party.