[Joo Young-jin's News Briefing]
When quoting this interview, please credit the program as 'SBS <Joo Young-jin's News Briefing>'. Copyright belongs to SBS.
■ Broadcast: SBS <Joo Young-jin's News Briefing> Monday–Friday (14:00–15:20)
■ Host: Anchor Joo Young-jin
■ Guest: Shin Dong-wook, Senior Supreme Council Member of the People Power Party
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● Interview
Shin Dong-wook / Senior Supreme Council Member, People Power Party
"Summoning Kim Jae-seop on the first day of parliamentary audits is a politically retaliatory investigation"
"The Major Crimes Investigation Agency and Prosecution Agency are irresponsible... the powerless will bear the brunt"
"Re-establishing internal philosophy is more important than renaming the party"
"Struggling because we lack the vessel to absorb windfall benefits from the DP"
"I give plenty of blunt advice to Jang Dong-hyeok... the party leader must carry immense responsibility"
"In my second year in politics... I will work for the country's future"
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▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: We are joined by Senior Supreme Council Member Shin Dong-wook of the People Power Party. Welcome.
▶ Shin Dong-wook / People Power Party Lawmaker: Hello.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: The Legislation and Judiciary Committee was mentioned just earlier, and you were serving on that committee until recently, weren't you?
▶ Shin Dong-wook / People Power Party Lawmaker: Having personally fought a fierce battle during last year's parliamentary audit, it doesn't feel like someone else's affair. But observing it now as a third party, I do think lowering the tone of our voices would be far better for reasoned debate.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: But when clashing in a standing committee, voices seem to rise in an instant even when lawmakers intend to stay calm, don't they?
▶ Shin Dong-wook / People Power Party Lawmaker: Since last year—and of course, the National Assembly has always been like this to some extent—if you look back at how the Legislation and Judiciary Committee's proceedings became so heated, the Democratic Party summoned Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae on the very first day last year and held him there. From our perspective, they badgered him far beyond what was necessary, which definitely distorted the atmosphere of the committee. So I believe the Democratic Party also needs to reflect on that.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Have you moved your standing committee assignment from the Legislation and Judiciary Committee to the National Policy Committee this time?
▶ Shin Dong-wook / People Power Party Lawmaker: Yes, I transferred to the National Policy Committee.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: For this year's National Policy Committee audit, what do you think is the most important issue to investigate?
▶ Shin Dong-wook / People Power Party Lawmaker: One of the reasons I wanted to join the National Policy Committee is that it is often called a 'committee of people's livelihoods.' That is because it oversees the financial sector, which matters most to ordinary working people.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Finance.
▶ Shin Dong-wook / People Power Party Lawmaker: It also oversees fair trade, including many platform companies these days like Coupang, so there are countless matters to scrutinize. In fact, what the public is most interested in this year is single-stock leveraged ETFs, which is a massive issue. Key witnesses on that matter include former Senior Presidential Secretary for Policy Kim Yong-beom, who stepped down not long ago.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: That is right.
▶ Shin Dong-wook / People Power Party Lawmaker: And people like Chairman Park Hyeon-joo of the securities firm. But the Democratic Party won't even let us utter the word 'leverage.'
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: None of the witnesses have been adopted, then?
▶ Shin Dong-wook / People Power Party Lawmaker: We requested 39 witnesses, but they have not agreed to adopt a single one, so we are in a situation where we worry whether a meaningful audit can even take place.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: If the Democratic Party opposes witness adoption, isn't it realistically difficult since they hold the majority?
▶ Shin Dong-wook / People Power Party Lawmaker: Up to now, since we have the Financial Services Commission audit tomorrow, it really should happen tomorrow, but that has fallen through. They are suggesting that we discuss it again the week after next during the comprehensive audit.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Did the Democratic Party also say that?
▶ Shin Dong-wook / People Power Party Lawmaker: The committee chair says so, but looking at the overall atmosphere, I consider it unlikely to happen.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: If witnesses are not adopted, the public still does not fully know how these single-stock leveraged ETFs were introduced and what the process entailed, from the opposition's viewpoint.
▶ Shin Dong-wook / People Power Party Lawmaker: They do not know precisely, and the other side seems to be avoiding it. The president gave an answer at a recent press conference that I thought was quite irresponsible.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: "Someone..."
▶ Shin Dong-wook / People Power Party Lawmaker: Saying "Someone must have done it" was an unacceptable answer. Uncovering who that "someone" is represents our clear duty to the public. If we cannot resolve this now, our party could pursue a parliamentary probe later or use various other methods, because leaving this behind simply as an irresponsible policy that 'someone' enacted is something we cannot easily accept.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Lawmaker Kim Jae-seop is also on the National Policy Committee, it seems.
▶ Shin Dong-wook / People Power Party Lawmaker: That is correct.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: But there was news that he came out after being questioned by the police today—or was it yesterday?
▶ Shin Dong-wook / People Power Party Lawmaker: He went in for police questioning yesterday morning and was questioned until 3:00 a.m. today.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: That was a long session.
▶ Shin Dong-wook / People Power Party Lawmaker: They said it was to investigate various political claims made regarding District Mayor Jeong Won-oh during the last Seoul mayoral election. Looking at what Lawmaker Kim Jae-seop posted in our group chat today, the police asked him to appear again during the parliamentary audit period. He went in yesterday morning and was questioned until 3:00 a.m., so he said he has no intention of complying with future summonses.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Lawmaker Kim even went so far as to say, "Send an arrest motion instead." Within the People Power Party, some seem to view this as a form of suppression against an opposition lawmaker just as the parliamentary audit has begun.
▶ Shin Dong-wook / People Power Party Lawmaker: That is right. Some voices within the police claimed they did not demand it and that Lawmaker Kim's side chose to do so, but having dealt with the police in various matters recently, they also play the media a lot. Kim's position is that with an important parliamentary audit underway, the police did not rule out the audit schedule at all and narrowed his timing options so severely that he had no choice but to show up. Yet yesterday, they designated him as a criminal suspect and questioned him. We view that as having the character of political suppression and retaliation over past election campaigning.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Speaking of investigations, you were on the Legislation and Judiciary Committee until recently, and with the launch of the Major Crimes Investigation Agency and the Public Prosecution Office, the Prosecutors' Office has now closed its doors. President Lee Jae-myung said that strictly conducting investigations regardless of ruling or opposition affiliations is their mission. As an opposition supreme council member, do you think the launch of these agencies will benefit the public more, or provide better safeguards for crime victims through stricter investigations? What are your thoughts?
▶ Shin Dong-wook / People Power Party Lawmaker: In principle, President Lee Jae-myung is saying the right thing. Whether it is the prosecution or police, things should move in a direction that helps protect public safety and realize judicial justice. But looking at what the ruling party has done so far, it has not moved in that direction at all. As a prime example, we held a rally last week in front of the newly launched Major Crimes Investigation Agency and looked inside. Absolutely nothing was ready; they were holding the opening ceremony the next day, yet even the lobby construction was unfinished. Furthermore, Prosecutor Lim Eun-jeong said in an interview yesterday that things would be chaotic for at least a year. Isn't that utterly irresponsible? Stripping prosecutors completely of their investigative authority for a year while the agency taking over that authority admits it might not be able to investigate properly essentially means creating a paradise for criminals for an entire year. Last year, when we were on the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, we repeatedly questioned Minister of the Interior and Safety Yun Ho-jung and Minister Jeong Seong-ho about whether this could launch smoothly next year, and Minister Yun told us not to worry. Yet now they admit they don't even know what will happen to them for a year, and the head of the Major Crimes Investigation Agency has not even had a confirmation hearing. When this happens, the damage mostly falls on the powerless. Doing things like this is truly wrong. That is why we recently suggested delaying it by at least a year.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Delaying the launch.
▶ Shin Dong-wook / People Power Party Lawmaker: We even proposed delaying the launch to prepare thoroughly before rolling it out. But with our party sidelined, the Democratic Party is squabbling among themselves, leading to this current state, which is truly regrettable.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Media reports have noted internal conflicts within the ruling camp between hardliners and moderates.
▶ Shin Dong-wook / People Power Party Lawmaker: Under this structure, no matter who becomes head of the agency, they will constantly fight over that person's past record and whether they are pro-Yoon, pro-Han, or pro-Myung. Managing things this way is, in my view, deeply misguided.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: I see. You are currently the senior member among the supreme council members of the People Power Party, correct? The internal situation within the party—such as the question of Representative Jang Dong-hyeok's future—was heavily reported in the media every day until recently and seems to have quieted down somewhat. Once this regular National Assembly session ends, voices are clearly calling for reorganizing the conservative bloc ahead of the next general election. What are your thoughts as senior supreme council member?
▶ Shin Dong-wook / People Power Party Lawmaker: We conventionally use the word 'reorganization,' and in principle, there is likely no disagreement that we must unite to become the majority party next time. However, on the methodological question of how to unite the people within the boundary of what we call conservatism, here is how I see it. The media often talks about embracing figures like Han Dong-hoon, Lee Jun-seok, and Yoo Seong-min, but if the agenda centers on individual personalities, it only leads to endless debate. Under broad principles, we need to provide a grand agenda—if our current party leadership faction is a well-established restaurant, we need an agenda broad enough so that younger colleagues can all come and participate. Therefore, what we must do from now on, with the general election coming up in April the year after next, is build a large vessel by the first half of next year so that whoever comes in can join hands together. The media's interest in asking 'What about Lee Jun-seok?' or 'What about Han Dong-hoon?' is somewhat difficult to answer right now.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Difficult to answer right now, especially as the regular National Assembly session is underway.
▶ Shin Dong-wook / People Power Party Lawmaker: I expect things will continue in this state through the end of the year.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Then what about this idea? Shouldn't we change the signboard of the house called the People Power Party, change its name, and remodel its structure so that other people can come in?
▶ Shin Dong-wook / People Power Party Lawmaker: We did push for a party name change before the last local elections. But changing the party's name turned out to be harder than expected once we debated specific proposals. If we proposed one name, this faction objected; if we did another, that faction pushed back. So currently, discussions or internal moves to rename the party have subsided beneath the surface. Rather than changing the name, what is more important is reaching an internal consensus or philosophical realignment about what kind of politics we gathered together to pursue, after being shaken by successive presidential impeachments. I hope we become a party capable of doing that. I can play a part in that role, and our political system is no longer one where a single superhuman can appear and command everything. Therefore, I hope many people with influence and supporters will make concessions toward that goal rather than chasing immediate personal gains.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: President Lee Jae-myung's approval ratings have been declining significantly following the local elections, yet the People Power Party has been unable to dramatically boost its own ratings. While the current situation presents a golden opportunity to win over public sentiment, you must have thought a lot about criticisms that the People Power Party's current system, its leadership structure including the representative and supreme council members, fails to capture that sentiment.
▶ Shin Dong-wook / People Power Party Lawmaker: I have thought about it a great deal. It is truly frustrating, and Anchor Joo Young-jin, having covered politics for so long, probably understands why better than I do. An opposition party, first of all, benefits from backlash against the ruling camp.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Right.
▶ Shin Dong-wook / People Power Party Lawmaker: People point to that backlash and ask why we cannot capture it all when the Democratic Party is behaving that way. Second is the question of what vessel can hold that backlash. Normally, when a future presidential contender emerges, public opinion gathers around them. But honestly, we do not yet have a vessel large enough to hold that public sentiment. It is painful, but we must admit it. That is why I mentioned earlier that if we cannot immediately build a vessel centered around a person, we need something the public can look to, whether that is policy or something else. Having engaged in practical politics, I have realized it is remarkably difficult for an opposition party to build such a vessel compared to a ruling party that can directly impact people's lives. That is why both Representative Jang Dong-hyeok and I are agonizing over what to build that vessel with once this year's parliamentary audit concludes, and I feel even those without specific party titles share that same concern.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Do you speak often with Representative Jang Dong-hyeok?
▶ Shin Dong-wook / People Power Party Lawmaker: I give him plenty of blunt advice. When I say blunt advice, while people often speak of the mainstream faction, we have the party leader and multiple supreme council members, so I voice different viewpoints. But since the leader ultimately bears the largest responsibility for making decisions on the party's overall direction, and because I spent a long career in journalism as you know, I tend to advise him mainly on how the press will view things from an objective perspective.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: After a long career in journalism, you entered politics, and a little over two years have passed.
▶ Shin Dong-wook / People Power Party Lawmaker: It feels like I have lived through turbulent times.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: What kind of politics do you want to pursue going forward? You rarely speak about seeking specific positions.
▶ Shin Dong-wook / People Power Party Lawmaker: It might sound cliché, but I truly did not enter politics to become something specific. I have long contemplated what kind of country South Korea should be. In real politics, many people have differing visions for the nation's future, but I have my own clear vision of what our country should look like, and I will work diligently toward that goal.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Understood. We will conclude here today, but next time we invite you...
▶ Shin Dong-wook / People Power Party Lawmaker: We can discuss it in more detail.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: We will listen in more detail. I was going to ask whether you intend to run for Seoul mayor, but it seems it is not time for that yet.
▶ Shin Dong-wook / People Power Party Lawmaker: I just hope the trial concludes well, with a victory.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Understood. That was our interview with Senior Supreme Council Member Shin Dong-wook of the People Power Party. Thank you for your time.
▶ Shin Dong-wook / People Power Party Lawmaker: Thank you.
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