[Power K-Women] Why 26-Year-Old Social Activist Park Ji-hyun Decided to Become a Politician

"If I stop, will opportunities for 2030 women disappear?"
Played the party's 'harsh critic' role but felt the wall of vested interests
Despite criticism inside and outside the party, "I will do politics without worrying about others"
To 2030 women: "Keep moving forward steadfastly"

Editor's NoteAsia Economy will select women who are active not only in Asia but around the world as 'Power K-Women' at the Women's Leaders Forum to be held this October. We have chosen individuals who have overcome and broken down boundaries such as race, nationality, and disability as 'Power K-Women.' This is to widely promote the value of those who have not been intimidated by discrimination or confined by boundaries but have fought back, in order to convey new values of leadership to youth and women. Their stories will provide comfort to a weary world, become role models for someone, and give the community the strength to move forward again.
Date ｜ Wednesday, October 19, 2022, 9:00 AM ? 5:20 PM
Venue ｜ Lotte Hotel Crystal Ballroom (2F), Sogong-dong
※ For details, please refer to '2022 Women's Leaders Forum' at the top of the Asia Economy homepage.

[Asia Economy Reporters Naju-seok, Park Joon-yi] "I was asked if a young male politician would have seriously considered such a proposal as much as we did. Then I empathized. So I decided to take it." Former co-chair of the Democratic Party Emergency Response Committee, Park Ji-hyun, recalled the moment when a 26-year-old social activist became the emergency response committee chairperson of the largest party in the National Assembly.

In a recent interview at Asia Economy’s headquarters on the 11th floor, Park recalled that time as about two or three days after the presidential election ended. She was sick with COVID-19 at the time, but (Lee Jae-myung, then the Democratic Party presidential candidate and now party leader), former emergency response committee chair Yoon Ho-jung, and former party leader Song Young-gil called her alternately asking her to take the chairperson position.

She explained, "It was not a field I had experience in, and it was such an unfamiliar and heavy position that I sought advice from those around me thinking, ‘How can I do this?’" She said that persuasion from young female politicians was significant in this process. Park said, "Female lawmakers and young politicians I met during the presidential election all opposed it, but young female politicians persuaded me to do it," adding, "(They said) there had never been a history of a young woman sitting in the party leader’s seat. If I stopped here, it might be uncertain whether the opportunity would come again for women in their 20s and 30s."

Park was a member of the ‘Chujokdan Bulkkot’ (Tracking Team Spark) during her university days in 2019 and was the protagonist who exposed the minor sexual exploitation in the ‘Telegram Nth Room’ to the world. She was a fitting figure for the Lee Jae-myung-led Democratic Party presidential campaign, which advocated a women-friendly approach. She first entered politics as the vice-chair of the campaign’s Women’s Committee and special committee chair for eradicating digital sex crimes.

Her appointment as emergency response committee chair after the Democratic Party’s presidential election defeat in March this year was unprecedented. The position of emergency response committee chair, which had to oversee the local elections after the presidential defeat, was a ‘poisoned chalice.’ Park, who appeared in public with her face covered by a COVID mask, was a figure who attracted attention next to the two major presidential candidates during the last presidential election. Stepping fully onto the political stage, she resolved to become a ‘rolling stone’ by speaking frankly about party innovation and gender equality despite criticism and persecution from inside and outside.

Her politics, bearing the responsibility as a representative of women and youth, was not smooth. Those around her worried she would be just a ‘face figurehead’ or a ‘puppet.’ She revealed her three months as emergency response committee chair like this: "Every time I opened my mouth, it was a challenge for me. Even when I tried to do something, the walls of vested interests blocking me from actually doing anything were too thick and high."

"Every time I opened my mouth, it was a challenge for me.
Even when I tried to do something, the walls of vested interests
blocking me from actually doing anything were too thick and high."

Park chose to be the party’s ‘harsh critic.’ When the party was pushing for the separation of prosecution and investigative powers, she was the only one who said, "The method and timing must be thoroughly discussed." She also criticized ministerial candidates nominated by President Yoon Suk-yeol for corruption allegations and demanded an apology from the Democratic Party regarding former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk and his wife, former Dongyang University professor Jung Kyung-shim.

She especially tried to raise her voice strongly about sexual violence incidents within the party. Her tough stance was unique within the emergency response committee. During her tenure, Park directly ordered disciplinary review for lawmaker Choi Kang-wook, who was involved in controversy over sexual remarks, and repeatedly demanded severe punishment for him until the end of her term.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The background of her tough stance was largely due to the party’s extremely low level of gender equality awareness. She confessed, "It was rock bottom. It was below expectations and more dismal than I thought." Her emergency response committee activities made her recognize this reality starkly.

"It was a time when I deeply felt that the arrows were not aimed at the perpetrators but at the victims." She said she had to watch the silence of male lawmakers who are considered the party mainstream.

Although she was the party leader, she was also a woman who fought against digital sex crimes, and the ‘mask’ was a small shield for her. Knowing the nature of digital sex crimes, having her face revealed meant a higher risk of exposure to crimes such as deepfakes and other synthetic crimes. Because of this, some party lawmakers told her early in her term to "take off the mask."

However, life as a woman remained threatening even after stepping down from the chairperson position. She lamented, "In early August, right after I stepped down, the ‘Telegram Nungyok Room’ first appeared. Since I had no authority, I was disgusted to see that crimes were being committed only against the vulnerable."

Her bold actions drew strong criticism both inside and outside the party. Inside, mainstream lawmakers urged her to ‘restrain herself,’ while outside, hardline supporters criticized her to ‘stop internal criticism.’ Nevertheless, what kept her from giving up was a strong sense of responsibility toward those who believed in her.

"Since my activities with Bulkkot, I thought, ‘If I ignore the obvious wrongdoings and the victims’ pain, how am I different from other bystanders?’ I wanted to give up at times, but I thought I had to keep pushing my head through somehow."

Former Co-Chair of the Democratic Party Emergency Response Committee Park Ji-hyun held a press conference in front of the National Assembly main gate on July 15, declaring her candidacy for the next party leader election. [Image source=Yonhap News]

The most memorable words for her were the hopeful encouragement from a supporter. She said, "Recently, someone sent me a letter that said, ‘You chose to be a weed yourself, so don’t be uprooted like a weed.’ Seeing the message to become a strong tree with deep roots that can never be uprooted, I realized that someone really had expectations for me. And even if I get criticized, I thought I wasn’t entirely on the wrong path."

However, Park expressed regret that she did not see the National Assembly change. When asked if she felt she contributed to or experienced change, she shook her head saying, "Well," adding, "Some lawmakers empathize and understand when I meet them separately. But whether that is sincere, I have to see the reality when I return to the National Assembly."

After finishing her three months as emergency response committee chair, she ran for party leader. However, opposition both inside and outside the party surged, citing that she did not meet the eligibility criteria under party rules. People around her advised, ‘You could get a nomination if you stay quiet, so why take risks?’ She did not back down and officially requested the party to discuss it. She had her reasons for not withdrawing her goal of becoming party leader. "If you want a nomination but can’t speak up, you shouldn’t be a politician. I want to remain a politician who speaks up without worrying about others’ opinions."

Park said she wants to continue ‘politics without looking around.’ She said she has no specific plans as a politician. "Since my Bulkkot activities, nothing has gone as planned. So I just want to do politics for the people, speaking my mind without worrying about vested interests. I want to be a politician who can give a good impression to the word ‘politician.’"

She is currently writing an autobiography about her time as emergency response committee chair, aiming to publish it between late October and early November. To the young women who will follow her, she advised, "Keep walking forward."

"This society is even stricter and tougher for women and youth. If one woman or young person makes a mistake, all women and youth are criticized collectively. Because of that, there is tremendous pressure to do better, but if you believe in what is right, no matter how much others oppress or try to persuade you, don’t give in and keep walking forward resolutely."

[Profile] Former Co-Chair of the Democratic Party Emergency Response Committee Park Ji-hyun

▲ Born 1996 ▲ Chiak High School, Wonju ▲ Department of Media and Communication Convergence, Hallym University ▲ 2019 Tracking Team Bulkkot activities on the Nth Room case ▲ January 2022 Vice-Chair of the Women’s Committee, Lee Jae-myung Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Headquarters ▲ March 2020 ? June 2022 Co-Chair of the Democratic Party Emergency Response Committee