Jung Min-ho has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2012, mostly covering social and political issues. He currently belongs to the Politics & City Desk where he covers topics such as health, labor and human rights. Prior to joining the team, he was responsible for covering North Korea and sports. His article about a biosecurity breach of Middle East respiratory syndrome won him an award from the Korea Science Journalists Association in 2016. He is also the co-author of the book, "Medical Pioneers of Korea" (2019). He served as the head of the international relations committee at the Journalists Association of Korea from 2021 to 2023.
How a young activist failed to reform the Democratic Party
Park Ji-hyun is surrounded by reporters at the National Assembly in Seoul, Thursday, after resigning as a co-chief of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea. Yonhap
By Jung Min-ho
By Jung Min-ho
When a 26-year-old activist who fought to shed light on digital sex crimes became the co-leader of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) in March, many hoped she would be able to utilize the crucial months left before the June 1 local elections to galvanize the support of young female voters.
But instead of solving the problems that were deeply rooted in the main opposition party, Park Ji-hyun, who helped expose systematic sex trafficking crimes (known as the “Nth” room scandal), revealed to the public the shortcomings of the DPK at a time when many voters were still undecided.
The result was devastating for the DPK, which won only five out of 17 metropolitan mayor and governor posts and lost its majority in local offices nationwide. In the previous elections four years ago, the DPK won 14 of those posts.
As she resigned from the party leadership along with other top officials, Park thanked those who supported the DPK, especially the women in their 20s and 30s, and blamed the main opposition camp's “resistance to change.”
“The party was arrogant even after losing in the presidential election and refused to change even though it was necessary,” Park said. “I hope the party will be reborn as one supported by the public after changing its people, direction and system.”
Her statement signaled the prospect of more infighting between party members, especially involving the young and old lawmakers who have vastly different views on what the problems are and how to solve them.
Rep. Yun Ho-jung, left, a co-chief of the Democratic Party of Korea, turns his head away during a press conference at the National Assembly in Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap
The former activist consistently singled out the so-called “586 generation” ― lawmakers in their 50s who were student activists in the 1980s and were born in the 1960s ― for the DPK's ills. But when Song Young-gil, one of the symbolic party figures from the 586 generation, was selected as its candidate for Seoul mayor, she criticized the decision at first, only to shift her stance to defend him.
Song lost to Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon of the ruling People Power Party by nearly 20 percent. To Park's disappointment, more women who were in their 30s voted for Oh (51.5 percent) than they did for Song (46 percent).
Park also defended Lee Jae-myung, the former DPK presidential candidate who had recommended her to be the interim party leader, as the candidate for Incheon's Gyeyang District, even though he had no political connection to the area before the election.
After the election loss, many in the party, including former Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon, accused Lee of tarnishing the DPK's image by taking the safe route and running for a parliamentary seat in an area considered to be a traditional stronghold of the main opposition. Lee, who pledged to maintain the party's majority in local offices as its chief election campaigner, failed miserably in that mission, but managed to save himself, his detractors claim.
Park was also guilty of embarrassing gaffes that hurt the DPK's image.
In her message to the soldiers who lost their lives defending South Korea's western sea, Park confused the 2002 Battle of Yeongpyeong with the sinking of the Navy corvette Cheonan in 2010. She later apologized for the mistake.
In another incident last month, Park was accused of confusing prosecutors with police officers after she criticized the prosecution following a police search of the Gyeonggi Provincial government offices over embezzlement allegations surrounding Lee and his wife.
Nevertheless, she tried to achieve the reforms she promised by expelling Rep. Park Wan-joo on sexual misconduct charges and bringing a sexual harassment case involving Rep. Choi Kang-wook to the party's ethics committee.
She was also one of the rare leadership figures within the party speaking up against issues many tried to ignore, such as sex crimes committed by men in power, the DPK's failed real estate policy and radical voices that have wielded too much influence over the party.
Park may have stepped down as a party leader, but she hinted at her intention to remain as an ambitious member.
“I won't forget your support and hope. We lost this time. But we won't give up just yet. I will open new paths with you as a different person,” she said.