Former National Assembly Speaker and Longest-Serving Member Park Byeong-seok Not Running... Will He Become a Variable for the Opposition?

Possibility of Calls for Personnel Renewal Such as 'Voluntary Retirement After Multiple Terms'

Park Byeong-seok, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) who served as the Speaker of the National Assembly and represents Daejeon Seo-gu Gap (6 terms), announced on the 6th that he will not run in next year's general election, sparking expectations that the momentum for renewal, including the 'retirement of long-term incumbents,' will accelerate within the DPK.

As the ruling party, the People Power Party, launched an Innovation Committee and proposed a high-intensity personnel reform plan targeting the party leadership, senior members, and pro-Yoon faction, it is anticipated that a full-scale personnel reform wave will also sweep through the DPK following Park's declaration.

Park Byeong-seok, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea who served as the Speaker of the 21st National Assembly during its first half, adjusts his glasses on the 6th at his National Assembly office ahead of his announcement not to run in the general election. 2023.11.6
[Photo by Yonhap News]

On the 6th, Park held a press conference at the National Assembly Members' Office Building and said, "I hope that my vacant seat will be taken by a new person with a strong sense of mission for the times, balance, and passion," adding, "I will not run in the 22nd general election next year." Park was first elected in the 16th general election in 2000 representing Daejeon Seo-gu Gap and has consecutively served six terms in the same district. He is the longest-serving incumbent among the 21st National Assembly members from both ruling and opposition parties.

Attention is focused on whether Park's announcement of not running will trigger demands for renewal, such as the retirement of long-term incumbents, within the DPK. This is the third time a current DPK lawmaker has declared they will not run in the next general election. Before Park, lawmakers Oh Young-hwan and Woo Sang-ho announced their decisions not to run.

The DPK's 'Kim Eun-kyung Innovation Committee,' launched in June, previously discussed a plan to prohibit candidates with three or more terms from running in the same district. However, due to internal opposition, it was not adopted as an official reform measure and was proposed only as a personal recommendation by Chairperson Kim.

The DPK's General Election Planning Team held its first meeting on the same day and began full-scale preparations for the general election. The team is also expected to review proposals such as the retirement of long-term incumbents and the innovation plans suggested by the Kim Eun-kyung Innovation Committee.

However, Park drew a line regarding the impact of his non-candidacy announcement on other long-term incumbents within the party, stating, "The number of terms should not be the criterion for candidacy," and added, "Politics develops when a combination of elders, youth, and middle-aged members is possible." Nevertheless, he evaluated positively the People Power Party's moves toward change, such as senior members running in challenging districts.