- Location of the Honam semiconductor plant? Sufficient site, workforce, and water supply
- Rhyu Si-min's 'reconstruction' remarks? Inappropriate... He should exercise restraint
- No matter how good the advice is, it shouldn't be given like 'exhuming a grave'
- Former President Roh Moo-hyun also proposed a coalition to Park Geun-hye
- Progressive administrations must shift to the right; historically, they always have
- Reason for the drop in approval ratings? Holding them accountable for the National Election Commission's 'foolish blunders'
- Controversy over Kim Eo-jun's remarks? Kim Eo-jun's words are not the 'Democratic Party's' stance
- For the party that did poorly to criticize a president who did well...
- Jung Chung-rae is the legitimate successor? In my view, Prime Minister Kim Min-seok has more legitimacy
- Kim Min-seok is a former chief of staff directly scouted by DJ
- Jung Chung-rae's remarks on supplementary investigative power were unnecessary
 
■ Broadcast: SBS Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show (FM 103.5 MHz 7:00 – 9:00)
■ Date: Monday, June 29, 2026
■ Host: Attorney Kim Tae-hyun
■ Guest: Representative Park Jie-won (Democratic Party of Korea)
 
▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Next, we will discuss current political issues with Representative Park Jie-won of the Democratic Party of Korea, a "9th-dan" political veteran. Hello, Representative.
 
▶ Park Jie-won: Hello. Senior Secretary for Political Affairs Hong Ik-pyo summarized things well. Please ask me about things other than that.
 
▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Understood. First, regarding the semiconductor plant going to Honam. That must be very pleasing news for you.
 
▶ Park Jie-won: The entire nation should be pleased.
 
▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Since your constituency is in Honam.
 
▶ Park Jie-won: Yes, of course I am pleased. Is Honam not part of South Korea?
 
▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Of course it is.
 
▶ Park Jie-won: Did they help Honam when it was struggling while they were eating well and living well? They shouldn't act like that. And businesses, especially semiconductor companies, don't move on their own. They only go when the government provides all the infrastructure. That's why I believe we don't need to view it in that light.
 
▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Putting regional balanced development aside, the location itself must be very good. Do you believe Honam is indeed the optimal location?
 
▶ Park Jie-won: I believe so.
 
▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Will the water supply or water shortage be okay?
 
▶ Park Jie-won: Water supply?
 
▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Yes, because many people are raising that issue.
 
▶ Park Jie-won: They say the Yeongsan River lacks water, but go and see for yourself. The water is overflowing. Has it run dry? And in Haenam alone, we have 500 million tons of water in Lake Yeongam and Lake Geumgang. We can easily handle it. And there is plenty of land. If Samsung Electronics goes to Honam, does it become "Samsung Hujah" (Samsung Loser)? Does SK Hynix become "SK Lownix"? Everything is coordinated with the government. No matter how much pressure is applied—as Senior Secretary Hong just mentioned—do companies move just because their arms are twisted? This isn't some wig factory. I haven't heard any news about Chairman Lee Jae-yong or Chairman Chey Tae-won being hospitalized.
 
▷ Kim Tae-hyun: So, in any case, it's not that the government pressured the companies to make a political decision and pinpoint Honam.
 
▶ Park Jie-won: Exactly. It is not a semiconductor plant that is moving due to such political logic or pressure from power.
 
▷ Kim Tae-hyun: So the companies made the decision themselves.
 
▶ Park Jie-won: The companies also need to align with their interests. That's why they made the decision, and since the government is providing all the infrastructure, it matches their needs, so they are going. Would they do something that causes them a loss? As I said, it's not a wig factory.
 
▷ Kim Tae-hyun: I see. Over the weekend, the President posted seven messages on social media regarding this issue. One of them said, "To the eyes of a Buddha, only Buddha is visible; to the eyes of a pig, only pigs are visible. People often think others will think and act just as they do." Who is the intended recipient of this message?
 
▶ Park Jie-won: I also wrote on social media, "Pigs, stop oinking. Does it hurt your stomach that much that it's going to Honam?"
 
▷ Kim Tae-hyun: But you made your recipient clear. You said that to those criticizing the semiconductor plant going to Honam. However, the President did not specify the recipient, leading to differing interpretations in the media. Some think it was aimed at the opposition party opposing the Honam semiconductor plant plan, while others think it was criticizing writer Rhyu Si-min's "reconstruction theory."
 
▶ Park Jie-won: It probably depends on one's perspective. If you feel guilty, you are the pig. I don't overinterpret it like that.
 
▷ Kim Tae-hyun: In any case, you believe it is related to the semiconductor issue?
 
▶ Park Jie-won: The semiconductor plant going to Honam is happening because it has sufficient land, workforce, water, and electricity, and the final decision is made by Samsung and SK. Since people are making a fuss over this, I think the President meant, "Why don't you understand my sincere intentions?"
 
▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Understood. Speaking of writer Rhyu Si-min, around last weekend, his remarks on Kim Eo-jun's YouTube show "Das Boeda" became controversial. To summarize, he said, "It is desirable to be everyone's president. The problem is, wasn't the President overly confident? What the people who supported the President wanted was an extension, but the President seemed to want a reconstruction. To reconstruct, the existing building must be demolished. So, demolition specialists were deployed to the public forum of criticism. They hired a massive number of contractors." What do you think of writer Rhyu Si-min's "reconstruction theory"? Is it an accurate diagnosis, or is it far-fetched?
 
▶ Park Jie-won: It is not a matter of being right or wrong. Writer Rhyu Si-min is a respected progressive writer. Of course, he can engage in political criticism, but he shouldn't do it in a way that digs up and tears everything apart like "exhuming a grave" (pamyo). In the end, Roh Moo-hyun, Moon Jae-in, Lee Jae-myung, and now even Kim Dae-jung are being summoned. What is there to feel good about by exhuming graves? While he has a progressive, liberal writer's spirit, this kind of grave-digging—which causes us to fight among ourselves and benefits the military regime's insurrectionist forces—is inappropriate. I wish he would exercise some restraint.
 
▷ Kim Tae-hyun: You and many others are saying he should exercise restraint. Despite knowing this, why do you think writer Rhyu Si-min continues to send such strong messages in a harsh tone ahead of the national convention?
 
▶ Park Jie-won: Because he knows, that's why I am saying this. I believe writer Rhyu Si-min will fully understand if we speak to him like this. As I repeat, with the Democratic Party's national convention ahead, all kinds of talk are coming out. Who benefits from such grave-digging? In the end, it's the insurrectionist forces.
 
▷ Kim Tae-hyun: The People Power Party would probably like it.
 
▶ Park Jie-won: They would gain power. Let's at least avoid doing this. That's why, while good advice from a respected intellectual and progressive writer is fine, going too far is as bad as falling short. That's how I see it.
 
▷ Kim Tae-hyun: The President has often said that the ruling party needs to have a large capacity, and he talks about "New Lee Jae-myung" and expanding to the political center a lot.
 
▶ Park Jie-won: Of course. That is why former President Roh Moo-hyun also proposed a coalition to former Representative Park Geun-hye.
 
▷ Kim Tae-hyun: But because of that, some interpret that the existing pro-Moon and pro-Roh supporters, including writer Rhyu Si-min, are openly rebelling against the President's policies to protect their vested interests. Is that correct?
 
▶ Park Jie-won: I believe no interpretation should go too far. And in politics, it would be best if one could do whatever they wanted alone. But you have to work with the public. That is why every administration, once in power, shifts slightly to the right if it is a progressive administration.
 
▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Indeed.
 
▶ Park Jie-won: President Kim Dae-jung also appointed Lee Jong-chan, Kim Joong-kwon, and especially Minister Kang In-duk—a former director from the Central Intelligence Agency—as Minister of Unification. Because the Sunshine Policy came from his mouth, it was much easier to persuade the public. Everyone shifts to the right like that. Similarly, when a conservative administration takes power, it must shift to the left so they can meet in the middle. Should we do this only among ourselves? Do we even have enough human resources among ourselves?
 
▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Understood. This might be a similar topic, but the President's approval rating, which had been soaring recently, has dipped. There is much debate over whether the cause is the departure of the core support base or the departure of moderates. Which side do you think is more accurate?
 
▶ Park Jie-won: Looking at opinion polls like Gallup, the public is holding the President accountable for the National Election Commission's foolish blunders. They are also holding the ruling Democratic Party accountable. Second, the stance on the local elections was not clear. Third, we are in a dogfight, a civil war over our national convention. That's why I always ask: why should we fight and benefit the insurrectionist forces? I appeal once again for us to exercise restraint.
 
▷ Kim Tae-hyun: But Kim Eo-jun said that the core support base has left, and that it would be dangerous for President Lee Jae-myung if more of the core base leaves, saying the core is watching with folded arms.
 
▶ Park Jie-won: In any case, Kim Eo-jun is the biggest YouTuber and has already been recognized by the public as a highly influential media figure. But what he says is not the official stance of the Democratic Party. Therefore, we should listen to and accept what such people say, and fix what needs to be fixed. Why do we need to fight with them?
 
▷ Kim Tae-hyun: So you don't really agree with that analysis? That this happened because Kim Eo-jun's core base left.
 
▶ Park Jie-won: Of course, the drop in support would include both moderates and the core base. It's a matter of which angle you look at it from. From my perspective, President Lee Jae-myung has done so well over the past year. The public sent him nearly 70% support, so it is not right for the party that did poorly, or progressive journalists and commentators, to criticize a president who did so well.
 
▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Understood. Former Representative Jung Chung-rae has been claiming the "legitimate succession" of the Democratic Party ahead of the national convention. Will this be a variable in this national convention?
 
▶ Park Jie-won: Well, is former Representative Jung Chung-rae the only legitimate successor? In my view, Prime Minister Kim Min-seok has more legitimacy.
 
▷ Kim Tae-hyun: But isn't this legitimacy issue being raised again for Prime Minister Kim Min-seok because of the HUDANHYEOP (Committee for Promoting Candidate Unification) issue?
 
▶ Park Jie-won: Even during the HUDANHYEOP period, it was done in that way to win the presidency. Of course, I don't think HUDANHYEOP was right. At the time, while I was in the Blue House, I listened to former President Kim Dae-jung, who told me, "Absolutely do not do HUDANHYEOP. You must not leave the party," and I was the one who resolved it. However, their loyalty was also based on the idea that we must not lose power. So they moved because they thought candidate Chung Mong-joon could be an alternative. If they had gone that way permanently, that would be a different story. But who else has as much legitimacy in the Democratic Party as Kim Min-seok?
 
▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Is that because former President Kim Dae-jung picked him at a young age?
 
▶ Park Jie-won: Yes. He made him a lawmaker in Yeongdeungpo at the age of 32 and he served as chief of staff—the party president's chief of staff. And to this day, he respects former President Kim Dae-jung and follows his teachings.
 
▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Yes.
 
▶ Park Jie-won: Former Representative Jung Chung-rae said so himself, "I am from NOSAMO." He emphasized former President Roh Moo-hyun. Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, on the other hand, emphasizes Kim Dae-jung, Roh Moo-hyun, Moon Jae-in, and Lee Jae-myung. Even looking at legitimacy through historical continuity, I don't think we need to emphasize it so much. Everyone has their own legitimacy.
 
▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Prime Minister Kim Min-seok has it, and former Representative Song Young-gil obviously has it too.
 
▶ Park Jie-won: Of course they do. Representative Jung Chung-rae has it too, so why say that? It's like suddenly bringing up the supplementary investigative power out of nowhere and saying let's do it by July 17. I think he is reacting too sensitively, bringing up things that don't need to be said.
 
▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Regarding the supplementary investigative power, Prime Minister Kim Min-seok said the government's final proposal is complete abolition, right?
 
▶ Park Jie-won: Of course.
 
▷ Kim Tae-hyun: To that, Representative Jung shot back, saying he hopes it is not a stalling tactic.
 
▶ Park Jie-won: Then why didn't he do it while he was serving as representative until now? Wasn't I a member of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee? And in the general meeting of lawmakers, we already reached a conclusion that even if we recognize the right to request supplementary investigation, we should abolish the supplementary investigative power itself, as the President mentioned. So why didn't he act in the National Assembly on what had already been decided when he was representative? That doesn't make sense.
 
▷ Kim Tae-hyun: In any case, how do you evaluate these recent remarks by former Representative Jung?
 
▶ Park Jie-won: He can make various advantageous remarks to win the national convention, but he should avoid making bizarre, out-of-the-blue comments.
 
▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Understood. We will wrap up our time with you here today. That was Representative Park Jie-won of the Democratic Party of Korea. Thank you.
 
▶ Park Jie-won: Thank you.

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