Moon's confidant heads ruling party think tank for 2020 election

Yang Jung-chul, head of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea's Institute for Democracy think tank, enters the party's headquarters near the National Assembly, Tuesday. Yonhap

By Park Ji-won

Yang Jung-chul, a confidant of President Moon Jae-in, started work as the head of a think tank associated with the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, Tuesday, vowing to dedicate himself to victory in next year's general election.

Yang, 54, served as a public relations and press secretary for former President Roh Moo-hyun in the early 2000s while Moon was chief of staff. Yang was a key campaigner for Moon during the 2017 presidential race.

“I accepted this position to do something for the ruling party to break the political deadlock, and to help it win the general election next year,” Yang told reporters.

As chief of the Institute for Democracy, he will form a team that will map out campaign strategies for the 2020 general election.

The institute may also play a role in selecting candidates for the elections.

His inauguration comes at a critical time, less than one year before the April general election and with support for President Moon and the DPK continuing to fall amid low public confidence in the government's economic policies.

In March, the main opposition Liberty Korea Party appointed Rep. Kim Se-yeon, an economics expert, to head its own think tank, the Youido Institute.

Yang said he was aware of concerns about the possible intervention of Moon's loyalists in formulating election strategies, adding he will put top priority on preventing factional divisions.

“I don't think there is a pro-Moon faction within the party,” Yang said.

Yang took up his post without an inauguration ceremony, as he believes that is only a formality, party officials said, and has vowed to work without a salary.