[22nd Rising Star]⑭ 'Economic Expert' Park Seonghun "We Must Create a Livelihood National Assembly"

Busan Buk-gu Eul Electee, Former Busan Metropolitan City Deputy Mayor for Economic Affairs
To Propose Bill for Sunset Extension of Corporate Tax on Shipping Companies

Editor's NoteThere are 131 first-term lawmakers entering the 22nd National Assembly. This is the lowest number since the 16th National Assembly in 2000, which had 112. The public hopes that amid the current situation of a ruling minority and opposition majority, these lawmakers will lead politics of dialogue and compromise to achieve tangible results. We introduce the elected officials expected to bring a fresh breeze to the 22nd National Assembly. ① Park Ji-hye ② Go Dong-jin ③ Kwak Sang-eon ④ Park Soo-min ⑤ Park Chung-kwon ⑥ Seo Myung-ok ⑦ Lim Mi-ae ⑧ Choi Eun-seok ⑨ Boo Seung-chan ⑩ Wi Seong-rak ⑪ Jo Seung-hwan ⑫ Kim Nam-hee ⑬ Kim Jun-hyung ⑭ Park Seong-hoon

Park Seong-hoon, the People Power Party elected representative for Busan Buk-gu Eul, spent most of his public service career in the economic sector, including roles as an official at the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MOEF), working at the World Bank, and serving as the Deputy Mayor for Economic Affairs of Busan Metropolitan City. He earnestly wishes to completely transform Korean politics through coexistence and cooperation.

Believing that politics could change everything, Representative Park entered the Department of Political Science at Seoul National University. His classmates included Min Byung-duk of the Democratic Party and Shin Jang-sik of the Innovation Party. He was close from the freshman year with Kim Woong of the People Power Party, who was two years his senior. Park said, "I want to change the perspective on politics positively," adding, "I hope to create a working National Assembly and a National Assembly focused on people’s livelihoods through coexistence and cooperation."

After passing the civil service exam, he worked at MOEF and also passed the bar exam. The reason he chose to be a public official rather than a legal professional was due to a personal calling. When he was in high school, his homeroom teacher often advised him, 'You should do work that helps society. You should become someone who has a positive influence on society,' which had a significant impact on him.

While in charge of private investment at the Planning and Budget Office, he applied for and was accepted as a Senior Specialist in Private Investment and Financing at the World Bank. Park said, "At that time, while handling private investment at the Planning and Budget Office, I introduced and implemented the Build-Transfer-Lease (BTL) model. The World Bank showed great interest in the introduction and actual operation of this system," adding, "I believe I was accepted because they highly valued my expertise, practical experience, and global applicability." Based on his experience at the World Bank, during his tenure as Deputy Mayor for Economic Affairs of Busan, he achieved the success of attracting six global financial firms to the Busan International Finance Center (BIFC), which had been vacant for ten years.

Prioritizing Legislation to Solve Busan’s Issues... Will Work on Moving KDB to Busan

When asked if there are any bills he is considering proposing, Park said, "The priority is to propose legislation to solve Busan’s current issues. Representative examples include the bill concerning the relocation of the Korea Development Bank (KDB) to Busan and the Special Act on Global Hub Cities, which has yet to pass." He continued, "These laws are essential to develop Busan as one of the two major pillars of South Korea alongside Seoul," emphasizing, "I will do my best to pass these laws together with other lawmakers from the Busan constituency." He also plans to propose an amendment to the Restriction of Special Taxation Act to extend the sunset clause of the 'tonnage tax system' for shipping companies, which is set to expire at the end of this year, as soon as the National Assembly convenes.

Politics Neglecting Citizens’ Lives for Political Gain... Wants to Completely Change Politics

Park said, "Old politics repeatedly hindered the economy, and citizens’ lives were neglected in favor of political gains," adding, "It was heartbreaking every time the results fell short of expectations." He expressed his desire to "boldly break away from the era of old politics and pursue fresh and new politics."