[Power K-Women] "Doing Well Relieves Stress... Start with the Tasks You Dislike"

Interview with Jin Sunhee, Deputy Legislative Officer of the National Assembly Secretariat
First Female Deputy Minister-Level National Assembly Official
Contemplating Legal Enforcement Provisions Until Falling Asleep
Family Members Should Support Each Other's Growth
Always Start with the Mindset That It Can Be Done

"The best solution came when facing the problem head-on rather than running away or avoiding it. When in a crisis, I just did what I could. I thought, 'No one is going to eat me up.'

Jin Sun-hee, the first female vice-minister-level official appointed in the National Assembly Secretariat, is a veteran who has worked in the National Assembly for 28 years. The National Assembly Secretariat is an organization directly under the Speaker of the National Assembly that supports the legislative activities of members of the National Assembly and performs necessary administrative tasks. Jin’s last active career role was as the senior expert member of the 21st National Assembly’s Health and Welfare Committee, concurrently serving as the head of the Pension Reform Public Discussion Support Team. National Assembly officials belong to standing committees, reviewing bills and supporting committee proceedings.

When I recently met Jin Sun-hee in the Legislative Vice-Minister’s office in the National Assembly main building, she never let go of the pencil in her hand during the interview. Perhaps it is her occupational habit of taking notes. She said, "When I first started working at the National Assembly, I realized that clarifying the supplementary provisions necessary for the enforcement of laws was important, but it was not simple, so I used to think about it until just before falling asleep. Then, if a good idea came to me, I would get up, write it down on paper, and then try to sleep again. This habit continues even now."

Having worked across various standing committees, Jin emphasized that "experience never betrays." Due to the nature of National Assembly work, many efforts may go unnoticed or not show immediate visible results. She said, "If you have experience handling difficult tasks, it becomes your own asset. I have often seen that such people perform their duties fearlessly when they take on positions, unlike those less trained."

- You graduated from law school, but why did you want to work in the National Assembly instead of becoming a judge?

△ There were considerations about aptitude and practical reasons. Along with a fundamental desire to contribute to the public good, I was very interested in how the world works and curious about the causal relationships of social phenomena. Therefore, I thought that the legislative exam or administrative exam, which include subjects like law, economics, public administration, and political science, suited my aptitude better. For practical reasons, my family’s financial situation was difficult, and around the time I graduated, my father was about to retire, so I wanted to prepare for an exam with a shorter study period to pass quickly. I entered the National Assembly as if by fate, and since I majored in law, many aspects of the work were easier to handle.

- What is the most memorable bill you worked on while at the National Assembly?

△ After joining in 1996 and working in the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, I vividly remember reviewing amendments to the Civil Code’s family and inheritance section, such as the abolition of the prohibition of marriage between people of the same surname and clan, improvements to the limited approval system, and the introduction of the adoptive child system. The family and inheritance section was an area where conservative and progressive views often clashed, and opinions that seemed unlikely to be reconciled kept conflicting. Eventually, the bill bore fruit in 2005. Since I participated in the review from the beginning, it holds great significance for me.

Jin Seon-hee, Deputy Legislative Chief, is giving an interview to Asia Economy at the National Assembly on the 20th. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

- National Assembly officials often cannot leave work when conflicts between ruling and opposition parties intensify. What was your secret to enduring with your colleagues?

△ When I was in the standing committee, I asked the investigators to submit reports by 5 to 6 p.m. before leaving work. Then, since I could work nights or weekends, I reviewed the reports after the investigators had left. If there were any corrections, the investigators could check them the next day when they came to work. Sometimes there were meetings all month long, but by operating such a system and coordinating with each other, we were able to make the work somewhat easier.

- You served as the head of the Pension Reform Support Team in the last National Assembly. What was the most difficult aspect? Conversely, what gave you a sense of accomplishment?

△ Pension reform is absolutely necessary but producing results is not easy. Pension policy is a field with sharp conflicts depending on whether the focus is on income security or fiscal stability, and even the interpretation of a single graph varies depending on which aspect is emphasized, making it a sensitive topic where nothing is easy. However, I believe it was very meaningful that some consensus was reached between ruling and opposition parties and stakeholders on parameter reforms regarding contribution rates and income replacement rates, which had not been reformed since 2007. Especially, the agreement on contribution rates was a big step toward pension reform. There was not a single day when I felt at ease, but collaborating with staff from various institutions was a great source of fulfillment. It is not appropriate to predict the discussions in the 22nd National Assembly, but I hope the ruling and opposition parties will exercise political power to swiftly advance the parts of parameter reform agreed upon in the 21st National Assembly and additional agreements that can be reached.

- As a working mom, how have you balanced work and family while maintaining your career?

△ Honestly, I did not balance work and family well. There were times when I paid attention to my children but could not fulfill my expected role at the office, and times when I neglected the needs of my children and family due to busy work, resulting in my child falling ill. Like a judge weighing scales, balancing work and childcare is difficult. It’s like a seesaw, going back and forth to find balance. I endured my children’s early years with the help of the National Assembly’s daycare center, support from both sides of the family, and hiring childcare helpers. Since my children became middle and high school students, I have thought of our family as a community where working moms and dads support each other. It’s not just the mother as the primary caregiver balancing work and family, but family members helping each other for their own growth. Although many institutional improvements have been made recently, balancing work and family is still not easy until children finish elementary school. I hope society as a whole improves systems so that people can work while enjoying the joys of parenting, not just endure this period.

- You broke the glass ceiling in the National Assembly Secretariat. Will there be more female senior officials?

△ When I first joined the National Assembly, there were only two female senior managers who entered in 1995. I recall the unfamiliar atmosphere in the office in 1996 when most staff were men, and I clearly recognized that appointing the first female political official at this level now is a special personnel decision. Speaker Woo Won-sik, who is very interested in policies for social minorities and expanding women’s social participation, seems to have sent a message through this appointment. I believe that as the number of female officials increases, the emergence of female senior officials will naturally follow. However, even in advanced countries, glass ceilings exist, and resolving them aims to create a better society for everyone. Breaking the glass ceiling is not just for women but indicates a higher social equality index and is a path toward a harmonious society.

Jin Seon-hee, Deputy Legislative Chief, is giving an interview to Asia Economy at the National Assembly on the 20th. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

- National Assembly work involves heavy stress. What is your personal way of relieving it?

△ Since stress mostly comes from work, doing the work well is the way to relieve stress. I think I endured and tackled the most disliked and difficult tasks first. I try to handle things before they pile up. I wasn’t always like this from the start, but I changed my working style over time. When there is work I don’t want to face, it’s easy to run away or avoid it, but I believe you must just start the work. Even if the results are not good later, facing the problem head-on means I did my best and have no regrets.

- What advice would you give to female juniors preparing for legislative support and administrative work?

△ Balancing work and family can create physical burdens and hesitation to take on challenging tasks. Women often self-censor, wondering, ‘Can I really do that job?’ I was like that too. But I want to say that at the moment of self-censorship, just start. If a task comes to you, it means you have the capability to handle it well. Difficult and tough tasks are connected to people who do them well. It means you are not alone. Once you start, although you may face some struggles, you will see yourself growing.

Jin Sun-hee, Legislative Vice-Minister,

is the first female vice-minister-level official appointed in the National Assembly Secretariat. She graduated from Ewha Womans University Law School in 1994 and began her National Assembly career in 1996 after passing the legislative exam, working as a legislative investigator in the Legislation Division 1. She has worked across various standing committees including the Education Committee, Planning and Finance Committee, Health and Welfare Committee, Legislation and Judiciary Committee, and Foreign Affairs, Trade and Unification Committee, as well as in the Legislation Office, Management Bureau, and the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Austria.