[Hot Interview] Kim Sung-joo "Pension Reform Requires Bipartisan Decision... Please Entrust Full Authority"

Less than 40 Days Left in the 21st National Assembly
"Full Authority Delegation Negotiations Also Used During Civil Servant Pension"
"We Will Fight Properly Until the End"

The clock on pension reform is ticking rapidly. The Public Deliberation Committee is conducting a deliberation meeting with a 500-member citizen representative group until the 21st, establishing the basic conditions for discussing pension reform. The problem is time. With only about 40 days left in the 21st National Assembly, the reform is at risk of stalling. Although pension reform can be discussed again in the 22nd National Assembly, considering the schedule for negotiating the formation of the new assembly, forming a new special committee, and reviewing the pension reform plan, the reform will inevitably be delayed indefinitely. This is why there are concerns that even the last golden time is running out. On the 17th, Representative Kim Seong-ju, the Democratic Party’s secretary of the National Assembly’s Pension Reform Special Committee, emphasized, "The ruling and opposition parties and the government must make a political decision."

Kim Sung-joo, Member of the Democratic Party of Korea./Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

The Public Deliberation Committee is active. Can it reach a conclusion within this month?

If pension reform is to be finalized within the 21st National Assembly, it must be done so.

You have emphasized political decision-making. What do you mean by that?

Since the Moon Jae-in administration, I have argued that political leadership must be exercised for pension reform. It is best if the president takes the lead. However, the election results showed that public sentiment rejected President Yoon Seok-youl. It has become difficult for the president to step forward. Ultimately, the ruling and opposition parties, especially the Pension Special Committee, must find a solution. The ruling and opposition parties, who faced off in the election, must come together again, but there is inevitably strong resistance. The fortunate point is that the Pension Special Committee has been operating in a bipartisan manner so far. To achieve reform, the committee members must be allowed to exercise leadership.

How can leadership be exercised?

During the 2015 civil servant pension reform, then-Democratic Party leader Moon Jae-in gave full authority to the Pension Special Committee. The negotiation results were approved as they were. This kind of approach is necessary. I am continuously communicating with Representative Joo Ho-young of the People Power Party, who chairs the Pension Special Committee. For the Democratic Party and the People Power Party to carry out pension reform, full authority related to pension reform negotiations must be delegated to the secretaries of the ruling and opposition special committees. The secretaries of both parties must follow the opinions of stakeholders rather than act arbitrarily, and since the government has outlined a certain framework, it must be able to make a political decision.

Representative Kim lost in this general election. Is this possible?

Since I am not in the next National Assembly, my influence has weakened. However, now I have nothing to hold back and can push forward according to my convictions. Everyone agrees that pension reform is urgent. I will fight properly until the very end.