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| Democratic Party of Korea co-interim leader Park Ji-hyun, left, touches her forehead during a meeting with party leadership at the National Assembly, Seoul, Wednesday. Joint Press Corps |
By Nam Hyun-woo
Park Ji-hyun, the co-interim leader of the liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), is seeking to bring change in the giant main opposition party by proposing that senior lawmakers ― members of the "586 Generation" ― step aside to make room for the young generation, but her attempt has sparked discord as she has faced resistance from within.
Korea's 586 Generation refers to those who are currently in their 50s, entered university in the 1980s and were born in the 1960s.
"The 586 Generation succeeded in leading the democratization of Korea. The goal of Korean politics in 2022 is to overcome the gaps, discrimination and inequality that the 586 Generation could not have even imagined. The 586 Generation's remaining role is to pave the way for the young people in their 20s and 30s to address these issues and create a young Democratic Party of Korea," Park said during a radio interview with broadcaster YTN, Thursday.
During a meeting with the party leadership, Wednesday, Park said that the mission of the politicians of the 586 Generation had been to restore democracy and make it take root in Korea, but now that this role has been almost fulfilled, they should prepare for a "beautiful exit" from politics to help the party regain public trust ahead of the June 1 local elections.
A day before the remarks, she had held a press conference and apologized to the public on behalf of the DPK and announced a reform plan, but it had been held without the full agreement of the other members of the party leadership.
Park, 26, rose to the party's leadership after it lost the March 9 presidential election, in a bid to give a breath of fresh air to the party ahead of the June 1 local elections.
However, recent surveys show that odds are leaning towards the ruling People Power Party, while Park's call for the 586 Generation to step back and leave space for those in their 20s and 30s is facing resistance from some party members.
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| Democratic Party of Korea co-interim leader Rep. Yun Ho-jung wipes off sweat during a canvassing event for the party's mayoral candidate for Uijeongbu, Tuesday. Yonhap |
Rep. Yun Ho-jung, a four-term lawmaker and the DPK's other co-interim leader, stormed out of Wednesday's meeting, saying that Park is "not qualified for the party leadership," while Rep. Jeon Hae-cheol, a three-term lawmaker, also criticized Park, saying that she "needs to consult with the leadership before making such comments." Both Yun and Jeon are big names of the 586 Generation.
After the meeting, Yun told reporters that "the 586 Generation's exit is not a matter that can be decided by some people before the local election."
Park's efforts to ask the 586 Generation to step aside are interpreted by some as factional infighting within the DPK, and by others as sincere efforts to reform and renew the party, since the party's primaries for the March 9 presidential candidate.
During the primaries, the liberal party divided into two factions between those supporting former President Moon Jae-in and those supporting Lee-Jae-myung, who was selected as the presidential candidate at the time, but who lost by a razor-thin margin.
While the DPK is still dominated by the pro-Moon group, many of whom are 586 Generation politicians, Park started her political career by joining Lee's campaign, thus receiving support from the pro-Lee group.
"The DPK handed over the government created by the people holding candles to the prosecutor-led administration in just five years, so it is natural for the party to reflect and apologize in front of the public," Rep. Jung Sung-ho, who is described as the leader of pro-Lee group, wrote on Facebook, referring to Park's public apology. The "prosecutor-led administration" refers to President Yoon Suk-yeol, who is the former prosecutor general.
According to a Gallup Korea poll released on May 20, the DPK's support rate was at 29 percent, which was the lowest since November of last year. The support rate of the PPP was 43 percent.
The survey questioned 1,000 adults across the country from May 17 to 19. Further details are available at the website of the National Election Survey Deliberation Commission.
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