- Kim Ji-yong is the right person... It's time to decide the party line at a general meeting of lawmakers
- Scrutiny at confirmation hearing is natural, but appointing the head of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency is urgent
- Choo Mi-ae should look for "good restaurants" in Gyeonggi Province... Succeed as governor first
- Lee's remarks on reform? A principled statement... Should exercise some restraint on social media
- Cho Hee-dae refusing to appear as an audit witness? Does he think he is pop king Cho Yong-pil?
- Raising profile to eye presidential bid... Must be questioned even as an agency witness
- DMZ landmine incident? Let's resolve it by holding military talks with North Korea
- Possibility of North Korea behind financial sector hacking... Need to prepare for cyber warfare
- The Assassin(s), a movie should be seen as a movie... A work of outstanding artistic merit
- PPP, is taking to street protests right when the parliamentary audit is about to start?
■ Broadcast: SBS Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show (FM 103.5 MHz 7:00 – 9:00 AM)
■ Date: October 5, 2026 (Mon)
■ Host: Attorney Kim Tae-hyun
■ Guest: Park Ji-won, Lawmaker of the Democratic Party of Korea
[Kim Tae-hyun]: This is someone we meet every other week. Today, we connect by phone with the political master, Democratic Party of Korea Lawmaker Park Ji-won. Hello, Lawmaker.
[Park Ji-won]: Hello. I am taking this call from Haenam.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Today is a holiday, so you are still in Haenam?
[Park Ji-won]: That is right. This marks my 130th weekend trip to my constituency, but this time I did a "Thursday return, Tuesday departure."
[Kim Tae-hyun]: "Thursday return, Tuesday departure."
[Park Ji-won]: Coming down on Thursday and heading back up on Tuesday.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: What did local residents tell you the most this weekend?
[Park Ji-won]: Protect President Lee Jae-myung well.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Protect him?
[Park Ji-won]: Yes. Just as writer Hwang Sok-yong said, what has President Lee Jae-myung done wrong? He restored democracy and developed the economy, so why are things this way? They expressed great anger and urged us to protect him properly.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: It seems local residents feel quite uncomfortable about moves by some lawmakers in the ruling party who appear to be going against the president. One of the first gateways is Kim Ji-yong, the nominee to head the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency.
[Park Ji-won]: That is correct.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: The confirmation hearing process has now begun. You consider him a qualified nominee, right?
[Park Ji-won]: He is a qualified nominee. As seen in the Facebook post by Lawmaker Kim Ki-pyo of our party on the Legislation and Judiciary Committee and comments from others, when promotions took place under then-Minister Choo Mi-ae, pro-Yoon prosecutors were being gathered, yet he bypassed that and became a chief prosecutor, which proves he was anti-Yoon. Regarding Chief Prosecutor Kim Ji-yong, I have persuaded and communicated with many lawmakers. Since they also stated they would follow the party line once it is decided, I hope we convene a general meeting of lawmakers around now to hold an unlimited debate and reach a decision. We must not keep delaying it.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Then, as you posted on Facebook, you wrote, "Should I strike the lawmakers who expressed opposition with a toy hammer?" suggesting holding an unlimited debate and deciding by vote as the party line.
[Park Ji-won]: That is right.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: So are you saying we should establish the party line first before the confirmation hearing even starts?
[Park Ji-won]: We can address both the pros and cons.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Why do you think we need to go that far?
[Park Ji-won]: Currently, even conservative media editorials point out that there is fatigue and confusion within the administration due to the failure to quickly appoint the head of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency. Therefore, we cannot leave the agency head position vacant any longer, and since there is much talk about whether nominee Kim Ji-yong is pro-Yoon or not, we should settle this.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: But looking at the confirmation hearing right now, members of the Public Administration and Security Committee from the Democratic Party, such as Lawmakers Youn Kun-young and Park Joo-min, are signaling thorough scrutiny rather than the opposition committee members.
[Park Ji-won]: It is true that thorough scrutiny must take place at the confirmation hearing. However, when I speak with those two committee members who hold such views, I believe they will also understand if everything is discussed at the general meeting of lawmakers.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Regarding whether the nominee was a so-called pro-Yoon prosecutor or not.
[Park Ji-won]: Well, there are testimonies from various people, so I do not believe he is pro-Yoon. Furthermore, back then, if someone advocated arresting Yoon Suk Yeol's mother-in-law, Kim Keonhee's mother, isn't that a true prosecutor? From the Japanese colonial era until now, where has there ever been a police officer or prosecutor that everyone liked? If you examine each individual case, everyone has grievances.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Lawmaker, why do you think Gyeonggi Governor Choo Mi-ae is acting like this? Regarding this matter, she is going so far as to say, "It is true that I appointed him, but later during the disciplinary proceedings against then-Prosecutor General Yoon Suk Yeol, he took Yoon's side. I misjudged the person."
[Park Ji-won]: I believe Governor Choo Mi-ae has a future only if she succeeds as governor of Gyeonggi Province. But she should keep looking for "good restaurants" in Gyeonggi Province; there is no need to overflow all the way to the Gwacheon Ministry of Justice building just because it happens to be located in Gyeonggi Province. That is how I see it.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Understood. It seems related to this, as the president posted yesterday on X (formerly Twitter): "Reform is done for the people and the nation, not for someone's political achievement and applause. Reform must be the goal, not a means to showcase clarity, draw attention, and attack someone." To whom do you think this message was directed?
[Park Ji-won]: I think he stated the right words in principle. Wasn't he directly communicating his frustrated feelings to the people?
[Kim Tae-hyun]: So rather than targeting a few so-called hardline lawmakers in the party, it was simply a principled statement?
[Park Ji-won]: Having opposition from hardline lawmakers within the party shows that the Democratic Party is that healthy, and being able to say "no" even to the president's instructions proves that President Lee Jae-myung is practicing democracy. The president probably does not dwell heavily on this.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Since the president has actively used social media dating back to his time as mayor of Seongnam, some evaluate that he is trying to persuade his supporters by posting frequently on social media recently. Do you think the president's use of social media is effective?
[Park Ji-won]: Well, since it is direct communication with the public, I cannot speak against it, but I wish he would exercise a bit of restraint.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: In what sense do you say that?
[Park Ji-won]: Because he does it too much.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: He needs to reduce the volume of posts?
[Park Ji-won]: Yes.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Does the ruling party ever find it burdensome when the president states his personal stance on every single issue?
[Park Ji-won]: Naturally. A president's words carry presidential weight, making every single statement an irrevocable message.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Indeed.
[Park Ji-won]: Therefore, communicating directly with the public and expressing views to party members is good, but doing it too frequently diminishes its effectiveness.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Understood. You are on the Legislation and Judiciary Committee. I had expected Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae to come forward and say something this time, out of curiosity.
[Park Ji-won]: He said so himself, didn't he?
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Yes, that he might disclose things during the parliamentary audit.
[Park Ji-won]: He himself said he would reveal it at the audit.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Because he said that, I wondered if he might appear and speak, but then...
[Park Ji-won]: Saying he cannot appear before the ink is even dry—is that a chief justice? That is Seocho-dong politics.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: In conclusion, he could appear as an agency witness to deliver opening remarks, but he will not appear as an audit witness.
[Park Ji-won]: Does he think he is pop king Cho Yong-pil? It should not be about stepping up at the very end to say just one word. Even if he appears as an agency witness, he should sit there all day and answer questions from lawmakers.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: His stated reason for not attending the audit was that "it is inappropriate to disclose the details of consultations with the president." What does this mean?
[Park Ji-won]: Since when was he so loyal to the president and protected him? Isn't that truly cringeworthy? Since when did Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae protect and show loyalty to President Lee Jae-myung?
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Then your point is that even if he discloses the details of consultations with the president when the time comes, he should still come out and speak.
[Park Ji-won]: What must be said should be said. Furthermore, if an ordinary public servant or corporate executive had done such wrongful deeds as reducing legal education programs and adjusting personnel, would they be acquitted? If a chief justice did such things, it must be uncovered.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Then Lawmaker, what method can be used to bring him to the audit room? What method will the Democratic Party use?
[Park Ji-won]: While we can file complaints, he will appear if called as an agency witness, won't he? When he appears, we must press him.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Are you also reviewing issuing an order to accompany?
[Park Ji-won]: That is the committee chair's role, not something for me to step forward on.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: In any case, you are saying that even if he appears as an agency witness, what needs to be asked must be asked.
[Park Ji-won]: Absolutely.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Recently, you made this comment...
[Park Ji-won]: If it were Cho Yong-pil, Nam Jin, or Na Hoon-A, they might sing one song at the very end and decline, but an agency witness of state affairs is a witness. He must come out and testify at the audit.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Even as an agency witness.
[Park Ji-won]: Absolutely.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Lawmaker, regarding Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae, you recently said, "It seems he is working to raise his profile in order to run for president."
[Park Ji-won]: In my view, I certainly think so.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Really?
[Park Ji-won]: Just as Prosecutor General Yoon Suk Yeol was championed as a presidential candidate, the People Power Party currently has no candidates. That is why I think Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae is raising his profile to do just that.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Then, just like with former Prosecutor General Yoon Suk Yeol in the past, could the People Power Party recruit Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae after next year?
[Park Ji-won]: Since they have no one, that could happen.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Understood. Let us examine North Korean issues. Regarding the DMZ explosion incident, North Korea offers no apology, refuses dialogue, directs abusive language at us, and even fired ballistic missiles over the weekend. Having served as Director of the National Intelligence Service, do you see any hidden motive behind North Korea's current actions? What are they aiming for?
[Park Ji-won]: North Korea always employs such tactics. However, I hope we propose military talks instead, just like during the wooden box landmine incident in 2015, and use it as an opportunity to resolve issues such as the Military Demarcation Line.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Military talks?
[Park Ji-won]: Yes.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: However, according to a report today, while the president and the defense minister said corresponding measures would be taken, there was an article stating that Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and Unification Minister Chung Dong-young clashed over this. In your view, what would be the most appropriate corresponding measure at this timing?
[Park Ji-won]: I think the hacking issue is currently emerging as a very significant problem.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: The recent hacking of the financial sector?
[Park Ji-won]: Correct. This is cyber warfare and cyber terrorism. When it comes to cyber hacking that we must counter, North Korea, China, and Russia engage in it most heavily. While Chinese characters were used this time, it has not yet been confirmed to be China. Therefore, I hope the National Intelligence Service, the police, and cyber intelligence agencies thoroughly respond together. In that sense, I support Foreign Minister Cho Hyun's remarks.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: So Foreign Minister Cho Hyun called for sanctions over North Korean hacking, while Unification Minister Chung Dong-young reportedly raised his voice asking what cybercrime had to do with this. Then, do you suspect that the possibility of North Korea being behind the AI-driven hacking incident in the financial sector cannot be ruled out?
[Park Ji-won]: It cannot be ruled out. And while North Korea, China, and Russia carry out the most cyberattacks, there is a global cyber market. Professional hackers steal such assets and sell them in that market, so we must monitor this carefully as well. In that sense, what Minister Chung Dong-young said has merit, but Foreign Minister Cho Hyun is right that because this is cyber terrorism and cyber warfare, the National Intelligence Service must also step in and investigate together. Otherwise, major trouble will follow. If our Korail system were attacked, all of our Korail trains would have to come to a halt.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: That is true.
[Park Ji-won]: The National Intelligence Service needs to step up to prevent such occurrences in advance. Although the National Intelligence Service Act was amended, about three months remain before it takes effect.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Is that so?
[Park Ji-won]: But this is terrorism right now. It is a war. Therefore, I believe all agencies must respond effectively to cyber threats from North Korea, China, and Russia, as well as the illicit cyber market.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Understood. Lawmaker, as a final question: There is controversy surrounding the movie 'The Assassin(s)', and I heard you watched it yourself. Having watched it, what are your thoughts?
[Park Ji-won]: People are not flocking to see The Assassin(s) just because the far-right publicized it; it has artistic merit. It truly does. It is a very good movie. All our citizens should watch it at least once, and I am campaigning for people to watch it a second time.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: A watch-it-again campaign?
[Park Ji-won]: Yes.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Understood. Party Leader Jang Dong-hyeok is reportedly scheduled to visit the birthplace of former First Lady Yuk Young-soo today. How do you assess the People Power Party's offensive against this movie?
[Park Ji-won]: A movie should be viewed as a movie; it should not be turned into a political offensive. Look at this now. Since the parliamentary audit begins tomorrow, it is prime time for the opposition. Abandoning that to engage in unnecessary street protests makes no sense. Also, if a movie about Madame Yuk Young-soo were produced, it would probably be very elegant and fine. Let them produce it as they wish. Instead, if President Park Chung-hee's escapades were also made into a film, that would be quite intriguing.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Understood. We will wrap up here. That was Democratic Party of Korea Lawmaker Park Ji-won. Thank you.
[Park Ji-won]: Yes. Thank you.
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