The Democratic Party of Korea is set to hold a national convention on Aug. 17 to elect new leadership. At this convention, whether it can win back support from people in their 20s and 30s has emerged as a key agenda item. According to a joint exit poll by the three terrestrial broadcasters for the June 3 local elections, only 35.9% of voters in their 20s living in Seoul voted for the Democratic Party. For those in their 30s, the figure was just 36.7%. The Democratic Party is also debating whether to introduce a youth supreme council member system at this convention. ChosunBiz met with young Democratic Party politicians to hear their visions and plans for how to win over the "2030 generation." [Editor's note]
Democratic Party deputy policy committee chair Jeong Min-cheol was born in 2001 and is 25. He is also an influencer with 100,000 Instagram followers for fact-checking content. Jeong has thrown his hat in the ring for a supreme council seat in this convention, running on a platform of party change.
When we met Jeong at the National Assembly on the 14th, he cited the radicalization of youth as the reason for the Democratic Party's declining support among young people. Jeong said, "The core of radicalization is to let that worldview overrun young people," and emphasized, "The Democratic Party needs to persuade the young generation why solidarity with the vulnerable is necessary and why hate is unacceptable." He added, "We need to rescue young people who hold extremist worldviews."
On the current situation of the "2030 generation," Jeong assessed, "There is a pervasive perception that hating is cool and stylish." He said, "We need to show that standing up to insurrection and martial law is what's admirable, and that upholding the Constitution is what's cool and stylish," adding, "If we approach this issue with a focus on legal action and punishment, we cannot win the 'hate war.'"
The following is a Q&A with Jeong.
-What led you to become interested in politics.
"I have long been interested in society, human rights, and issues unfolding in society. When former President Park Geun-hye was impeached, I once gathered all the students at my middle school and spent an hour explaining 'why former President Park Geun-hye had to be impeached.' I also acted as a 'keyboard warrior,' engaging in keyword battles on news outlets' Facebook pages."
-You put forward a 'culture war' as your first pledge.
"Even what the party has done is not being properly conveyed. Because policies are not getting through, there is a gap in approval ratings. For example, on the day the 'three mega projects' were announced, fake news spread on social media among young people that 'bonuses at Samsung Electronics and SK hynix had been scrapped.' If we persuade and explain directly, the government's sincerity will surely come across. We must make the 'culture war' our top priority."
-What other policies are for young people.
"Dating violence is serious, yet there isn't even a legal term for it, and there are many gaps in its legal definition and in systems to protect victims. I believe the public will feel the efficacy of policy when the Democratic Party pays attention to such issues. There is also the reality that excessive workloads are imposed on newcomers to society, including junior military officers. In the case of junior military officers, there is a lack of personnel but heavy workloads, leading to aspects that are effectively seen as 'free labor.' We need to provide proper compensation through concurrent duty allowances and the like, and build a structure in which they can grow within it. I believe this is the fairness young people want."
-What does the Democratic Party need to win support from the young generation.
"It is about restoring common sense. On the issue of abolishing the supplementary investigative authority, there are people angry because of the Jang Yun-gi case. We need to consider what the president meant by asking for deliberation. We must ask whether former leader Jung Chung-rae used the public as collateral for his own political gain.
As the ruling party with an overwhelming number of seats, the Democratic Party should have leadership that keeps pace with the government and, at times, takes the lead in discussing and proposing policies. I believe this convention must become a strong turning point to move beyond camp logic, restore common sense, and advance toward pragmatism as the people's Democratic Party and as the ruling party."