April 10 General Election Gyeongbuk Pohang Nam-Ulleung Candidacy
Advocates Abolishing Income Limits for Childbirth Support
"Political Newcomer... Supports Abolishing Lawmaker Privileges"
Jin Hyung-hye, a lawyer at GL Law Firm (age 53, Vice President of the Korean Women Lawyers Association), has entered the 4.10 general election. One of the legislative activities she most wants to pursue upon entering the National Assembly is to reform the social childcare system. We met with Jin, who registered as a preliminary candidate for the People Power Party in the Pohang Nam-Ulneung district and opened her election office this month, to hear about her determination.
On the 3rd of this month, Jin Hyung-hye, a lawyer who registered as a preliminary candidate for the 22nd general election representing the Nam-Ulleung district of Pohang City under the People Power Party on the 25th of last month, is conducting an interview with a reporter at the election office located in Nam-gu, Pohang City. Photo by Moon Hye-won
Below is a Q&A with Lawyer Jin Hyung-hye
- What motivated you to run in the general election?
▲ Raising three children while working was truly difficult. I was very fortunate that my mother helped me a lot, but I know well that not every family can have that kind of support. Because of these issues, many women nowadays are reluctant to have children. For working moms and dual-income couples, someone in the family inevitably has to make sacrifices, like a mother helping out. Establishing a social childcare system that does not require such sacrifices from family members is one of the main legislative activities I want to pursue once I enter the National Assembly.
- How do you want to reflect your experiences as a lawyer in your legislative work?
▲ Over more than 20 years as a lawyer, I have handled many child support payment lawsuits. Especially in cases involving divorced families, courts often order child support or alimony payments, but the problem is that child support is not a one-time payment and often is not paid properly. Statistics show that about 80% of child support payments are not received adequately. However, children do not stop growing during this period. Children raised in divorced families or by a single parent without child support often face difficult growth processes due to poverty. When child support payments are not made, the state, having authority, should claim subrogation rights to recover the payments. I want to make the “state payment of child support” my first legislative bill during my parliamentary activities.
- Please explain your pledge to make Pohang the best city to raise children.
▲ There is a father in my election camp who is a single-income parent of six children, and I heard that the support he receives for having many children is limited to benefits like public parking. I believe there should be no income restrictions on childcare support. Childcare support should abolish income limits and move toward universal welfare. Especially in Pohang, support for low birth rates is much poorer than in other regions. Therefore, I want to investigate and compare the differences in low birth rate support between Pohang and other areas. Support for Pohang should be raised at least to the level of other regions.
- What are your thoughts on the issue of juvenile offenders exempt from criminal liability (Chokbeopsonyeon)?
▲ There has been much discussion recently about lowering the age of criminal responsibility for juvenile offenders. In principle, I feel it is necessary. Nowadays, children are exposed to a lot of information and sometimes commit crimes without concern, saying “I’m a Chokbeop.” However, we must also consider social responsibility because some children have not received proper upbringing or have suffered emotional abuse.
- Regarding the resolution of compensation for the 2017 Pohang earthquake damage.
▲ Currently, Pohang is facing a very large issue where all citizens affected by the 2017 earthquake, numbering about 500,000 people living in one neighborhood, have to stand as plaintiffs in court. In fact, it is unprecedented in Korean history for all citizens in one area to become plaintiffs. There is already a special law, and recently, a lawsuit for compensation for mental damages from the Pohang earthquake was ruled in favor of the Pohang citizens as plaintiffs. As a result, many other citizens have flocked to law offices thinking, “If they won, we can also file lawsuits and receive compensation.” We plan to prioritize revising the special law to resolve this matter collectively.
- What is your election strategy as a political newcomer?
▲ The National Assembly is not just a place for political strife but a legislative body that makes laws. As a female lawyer, I have often visited the National Assembly to petition for legislation. Now, I want to help make those laws. I am a political newcomer without any faction or political line. I have no intention of flaunting connections with influential politicians or emphasizing relationships. Fundamentally, I have never considered politics that rely on others’ influence. I think the 22nd general election will be somewhat more favorable to political newcomers like me than the 21st general election.
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