[Full Text] Park Chan-dae Declares Candidacy for Party Leader: "Will Accomplish Tasks as a True Party-Government One Team"

Park Chan-dae, a three-term lawmaker and former floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, declared his bid for party leadership on June 23, saying, "I hope the people and party members will join the Lee Jae-myung?Park Chan-dae one team, and the party-government one team."

At a press conference held at the party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, that morning, Park stated, "A proven one team will continue to work as one to successfully accomplish the tasks entrusted to the Lee Jae-myung administration and the Democratic Party." This remark is interpreted as emphasizing that, having worked in tandem with President Lee Jae-myung as party leader during the Yoon Suk-yeol administration and himself as floor leader, he is well-positioned to ensure smooth party-government cooperation.

Park pledged that, if elected party leader, he would strengthen the party-government relationship to the level of a true one team, support a special counsel for the complete end of the rebellion, pursue prosecutorial, judicial, and media reforms, establish a system to realize party member sovereignty and expand party member rights, and secure an overwhelming victory in next year's local elections.

Yonhap News

Below is the full text of Park Chan-dae's declaration of candidacy for party leader

Esteemed citizens, proud members of the Democratic Party of Korea, I greet you. I am Park Chan-dae, member of the National Assembly. I have finished my deliberations. I have gained conviction. Therefore, I have made my decision. I, Park Chan-dae, am running for party leader of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea.

First, I will engage in a spirited competition with those who have already declared their candidacy or will do so in the future. I will prioritize a competition that respects opponents, reaffirms our camaraderie, and seeks better solutions?a competition that values unity and healing over victory or defeat. I firmly believe other candidates feel the same. I also believe that the expectations and demands of party members are no different.

Let me explain what I considered and what convinced me to run for party leader. My first concern was whether I, Park Chan-dae, am qualified to be the leader of a major ruling party that holds a majority in the National Assembly, has 1.2 million voting members, and President Lee Jae-myung. To find the answer, I asked myself: In every critical moment over the past year, what determined the outcome? Was it the individual or the organization? Was it close associates or the system? Was it media opinion or the voices of party members and the public? Consistently and thoroughly, it was the latter. Thanks to this, we achieved impeachment, removal from office, and victory in the presidential election. At times, even when I was convinced that public opinion was supportive and we were right, I took time for debate and persuasion to prevent division within the party. Yet, I never missed the final moment for decisive action. After organizing my thoughts this way, I concluded that I am indeed qualified to run for Democratic Party leader.

My second concern was whether I could fulfill the role well if, by honor, the people and party members allowed me to become party leader. I cannot imagine a ruling party that disguises collusion and surrender as unity and inclusion, only to abandon promised reforms. Nor should we have an incompetent ruling party that ruins opportunities through arrogance and impatience. If that were the case, I should not even dream of running. The first Democratic Party leadership formed after the launch of the Lee Jae-myung administration must thoroughly uphold 'competent reformist politics.' It is an effective strategic direction for a ruling party that can support President Lee Jae-myung's promises of 'just unity' and 'flexible pragmatism.' The government should focus on unity and pragmatism, while the ruling party emphasizes reform, with both sides organically coordinating direction and speed?a true one team. This is the key to the success of the Lee Jae-myung administration, a government of popular sovereignty. Therefore, what the Democratic Party now needs is a competent yet humble person, someone firm in conviction yet flexible. While there may be others who possess the various virtues required of a party leader, I dare say that, at this moment, I am the right person. Do you agree?

Up to this point, finding answers was not so difficult. What I pondered most was the potential for conflict and wounds that could arise during the party leadership race. The side effects of competition cannot be prevented by any single candidate, nor can they be avoided simply by everyone being cautious. This made my concerns even deeper, especially as signs of conflict began to appear. Now, I am confident. I trust my competitors. I have complete faith in the self-correcting ability and collective intelligence of our party members. We have stood together as one body against the forces of rebellion and have built the Lee Jae-myung administration, a government of popular sovereignty. Even now, we are comrades fighting against the remnants of the rebellion. We are not foolish enough to inflict wounds and cause division just to win an internal contest. Still, I will not take the situation lightly or stand by idly. That is why I placed 'spirited competition' and 'respectful competition' at the very beginning of my declaration. The reason I delayed my candidacy announcement as long as possible, only to bring it forward to today, was concern that criticism and debate might escalate into slander and mudslinging. As promised, I will compete in a dignified manner. This party leadership election is not a struggle for power, but a competition of roles. I will approach it as a process of dividing roles, not just determining winners and losers.

Fellow citizens and party members, what do you specifically expect from the leader of the ruling party? Here is what I, Park Chan-dae, will do. First, I will focus all the Democratic Party's capabilities on the success of the Lee Jae-myung administration. I will strengthen the party-government relationship to the level of a true one team, and achieve results one by one through close and organic cooperation across the board, from blocking political offensives to legislation and policy implementation.

Second, I will support a special counsel to ensure the complete end of the rebellion and prevent any collusion disguised as unity. Ending the rebellion is the grand premise of the unity sought by the Lee Jae-myung administration. I will provide maximum support for the special counsel and respond with an all-out effort to any attempts to undermine it. Through this, I will swiftly isolate Yoon Suk-yeol and Kim Keon-hee from our community. Any integration with forces that falsely claim the special counsel is political retaliation is nothing but collusion. Those who committed illegal acts by siding with the Yoon Suk-yeol administration must be judged by the law?this is common sense before it is justice. Unity must be the result of justice.

Third, I will achieve prosecutorial, judicial, and media reforms without fail. Reforms pushed forward without public support either fail or come at a heavy price. Yet, we cannot repeat the mistake of abandoning reforms in the face of political offensives or manipulated public opinion. To this end, I will become more competent, more flexible, and, while remaining humble, act boldly when necessary. I will overcome the so-called 'moderate syndrome' and 'backlash cult,' which have no real substance, and achieve genuine expansion to the center through effective reforms. Within this year, I will deliver legislative results for all three major reforms: prosecution, judiciary, and media.

Fourth, I will respect the opposition but will not engage in backroom deals. Even with parties at fault, I will leave open the possibility for reflection and change, but if they repeat old practices, I will respond firmly. I will pursue sincere negotiations and reasonable compromises, but will cut off unreasonable demands and low-level deal attempts.

Fifth, I will realize party member sovereignty not just in words, but through systems. Expanding party member rights is an irreversible trend. The value of a vote cast by a delegate or an ordinary party member will inevitably converge to a 1:1 ratio. The proportion of party member opinions reflected in various internal elections will also increase. The issue is speed, and speed is determined by the party's system. I will review plans to build a mobile party platform that enables party members to participate in everyday decision-making, and by the end of this year, finalize measures to expand party member rights to be implemented before next year's local elections.

Sixth, I will build a party that wins even in difficult regions and achieve a landslide victory in the local elections. I will win the hearts of voters in challenging regions such as Yeongnam and Gangwon. I will overcome the fixed notion that the Seoul metropolitan area and Chungcheong region are weak spots. This is not just about expanding the Democratic Party, but about overcoming regionalism, a chronic problem in Korean politics. I will set new records for vote share in previously challenging regions, reclaim majority positions in local governments and assemblies, and achieve a decisive victory in next year's local elections. I will establish the Democratic Party as a truly national party in both name and reality.

Esteemed citizens, beloved party members. I am explaining at length my determination to become the leader of the ruling party, but in truth, the 'absence of Lee Jae-myung' has been a difficult challenge for me. I was the chief spokesperson for Lee Jae-myung's campaign during the 2022 presidential election. From that time, when I met you as 'the voice of Lee Jae-myung,' through the presidential defeat, hunger strike, risk of arrest, and even terror threats, every crisis for Lee Jae-myung was a crisis for Park Chan-dae, and every challenge and re-election bid for Lee Jae-myung was also a challenge for Park Chan-dae.

While I am proud to have led a reformist National Assembly as floor leader, Lee Jae-myung was always a strong presence by my side. So when I first thought of the 'absence of Lee Jae-myung,' I felt daunted. But soon, I felt at ease. Until now, Lee Jae-myung has stood by Park Chan-dae, but from now on, Park Chan-dae must stand by Lee Jae-myung. The already proven one team will continue to work as one to successfully accomplish the tasks entrusted to the Lee Jae-myung administration and the Democratic Party.

I hope the people and party members will join the Lee Jae-myung?Park Chan-dae one team, and the party-government one team. I have lived by the motto, 'Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.' Just as you and I together called out the names of opposition lawmakers who abstained from the Yoon Suk-yeol impeachment vote, just as you and I met eyes while hanging from the iron gate of the National Assembly, just as we marched shoulder to shoulder from Yeouido to Gwanghwamun calling for Yoon Suk-yeol's removal, I want to walk this thrilling path to complete the revolution of light with you. Give me a chance. I will keep my promises. Thank you.