The Democratic Party of Korea is set to hold a national convention on Aug. 17 to elect a new leadership. A core agenda item for this convention is whether it can win back support from people in their 20s and 30s. According to a joint exit poll by the three terrestrial broadcasters from the June 3 local elections, only 35.9% of people in their 20s living in Seoul voted for the Democratic Party. The figure for people in their 30s was just 36.7%. The plan to introduce a youth supreme council member system was also scrapped after heated debate at this convention. ChosunBiz plans to meet the Democratic Party's young politicians to hear their visions and plans for how to win over the "2030 generation." [Editor's note]
Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Mo Kyung-jong is regarded within the party as "young blood." Born in 1989, Mo entered politics through a "blind recruitment for youth secretary" when President Lee Jae-myung was serving as Gyeonggi governor. Mo won a first-term seat in the last general election in Seo-gu B, Incheon. Mo currently serves as the Democratic Party's youth committee chair.
On the 30th of last month, Mo said in an interview with ChosunBiz, "The Democratic Party's defeat in the June 3 Seoul mayoral election was the result of a rational choice by the 2030 generation." Mo added, "The 2030 generation is more commonsense and rational than any other, but even the hope that tomorrow will be better has disappeared."
Mo said, "There are youth policies worth 30 trillion won across 48 (central) ministries, but policies that do not truly reach young people are useless," adding, "It is important for the Lee Jae-myung administration and the Democratic Party to execute the budget efficiently and turn it into policies that can be felt in real life."
The following is a Q&A with Mo.
-Why do you think support for the Democratic Party among the 2030 generation diverged between Seoul and Daegu in the June 3 local elections?
"The 2030 generation is a group that judges clearly those who hold opportunities, authority, and power. Regardless of party, for members of the 2030 generation who support the Democratic Party of Korea and the People Power Party respectively, it is unfortunately an era in which it is hard to find their 'best option.' It appears they often make choices to avoid the worst by picking the lesser evil.
In Daegu, amid the perception that the People Power Party failed to seize its opportunities, younger voters chose the Democratic Party. In contrast, in Seoul, the Democratic Party fundamentally disappointed the 2030 generation, which had grown distant from politics, and, by making (political) decisions that led them into disillusionment and indifference, left (them) with no reason to look more closely at the Democratic Party. The loss in the Seoul mayoral race was the result of a 'rational choice' by the 2030 generation. The Democratic Party also failed to emphasize in the Seoul mayoral election that it was 'not worse than them (the People Power Party),' nor did it become 'a more attractive option' for them. I see that as a major reason for the defeat in the Seoul mayoral race.
-That ties into your proposal to the administration to create a dedicated youth ministry
"Creating a dedicated youth ministry means we need a control tower for the entire youth policy portfolio. It also needs budget-allocation authority for youth policy. Even housing issues are not simply a matter for the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Because it is linked not only to the ministry but also to financial ministries, we need an integrated ministry dedicated to youth. Furthermore, in the National Assembly, I believe we need a youth-related committee as an independent standing committee."
-Why did you propose using the future response fund as a solution to the unpopular "mandatory retirement age extension" among young people?
"Considering gaps before pension eligibility, there is a need to extend the mandatory retirement age. But if we discuss only the retirement-age extension without reviewing and revising overall employment, the benefits of the extension will go to a few, and it will be a policy that does not resonate with most young people. We need to look broadly at employment issues for most young people beyond those in large corporations and public institutions. Otherwise, it will be hard to gain consensus among the young generation.
So I proposed to the party that part of the future response fund being pursued by the presidential office be created as a "youth mutual growth and solidarity fund" (provisional name). We should create (a portion of the additional tax revenue) as a fund for young people's lives and also use it efficiently for the retirement-age extension. A few years ago, there were cases where extending the retirement age actually led to reduced youth employment, so until measures come out that can solve such problems, we should not push the extension hastily."
-What are your achievements from a year as youth committee chair?
"I am proud of pushing the 'youth policy plaza.' It is a communication platform that brings together young politicians—from youth committee chairs in local party committees and metropolitan/provincial party chapters to basic/metropolitan council members and National Assembly members—to turn voices from the field into policy. It is a system in which young people working on the ground identify lacking policies and directly craft policy.
In particular, we achieved results with the 'youth political academy' as a system to foster young politicians. While existing programs for young politicians remained at the abstract level centered on lectures, the academy focused on sharing and teaching the capabilities and experience needed by young politicians. Recently, in Gyeongju and Haeundae-gu (both tough districts for the Democratic Party), Democratic Party basic councilors were elected, and these results were achieved in difficult strategic districts based on individual skill and this training, without political asset."