- Supplementary investigative powers partially needed, but must follow party line
- Jeong Seong-ho offering resignation ahead of Public Prosecution Office launch? Evasion of responsibility
- Reject resignation immediately and do the job until launch
- President is on foreign visit, yet inside party it's a war of Myeong-Cheong and Shincheonji
- Kim Min-seok needs strategy change; why bring up Shincheonji?
- Must present evidence quickly, Shincheonji must be rooted out
- Disciplining over raising allegations? Must uncover, not cover up
- Former NIS director's view on Russia's 'additional N. Korean troop deployment'?
- NIS hasn't picked up signals; Zelenskyy seems to be exaggerating

■ Broadcast: SBS Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show (FM 103.5 MHz 7:00 – 9:00)
■ Date: July 27, 2026 (Mon)
■ Host: Attorney Kim Tae-hyun
■ Guest: Democratic Party of Korea Representative Park Ji-won
 
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Next, let's look into current political issues with Democratic Party Representative Park Ji-won, a 9th-dan politician. Representative, hello.
 
[Park Ji-won]: I am not doing well.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun]: If you think about the party convention, you're not doing well...
 
[Park Ji-won]: No, there is no problem with the party convention.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Then why are you not doing well?
 
[Park Ji-won]: Everyone fights in party conventions. Can we live when the weather is this hot?
 
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Indeed.
 
[Park Ji-won]: Even in our Haenam.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun]: It must be so hot. I heard the southern region is in turmoil because it's so hot right now.
 
[Park Ji-won]: A foreign worker passed away.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun]: A Thai national.
 
[Park Ji-won]: Really, for four days I traveled around the islands of Wando—Cheongsando, Saengildo, Wando—and also Jindo and Haenam. I felt like I was becoming a roast chicken.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Because it was so hot?
 
[Park Ji-won]: Because it was so hot. So I wonder if it's time for our country to adapt to climate change and introduce a system where everything closes down for a whole month in summer.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Understood. Let's look into this issue. Representative, regarding the abolition of supplementary investigative powers, complete abolition was adopted as the party line. But initially, Representative, you also said complete abolition was right, but as you heard continuous talk of problems, this...
 
[Park Ji-won]: It wasn't just hearing talk, but after hearing from MINBYUN (Lawyers for a Democratic Society) and women's organizations that it's necessary to protect the vulnerable, I examined it in detail. My conclusion was that it's better to partially maintain it to protect the vulnerable. But the Democratic Party decided on complete abolition as party line, asking if such a supplementary system can be put in the Major Crimes Investigation Office. Once decided, we must follow it.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Then in the end, the party went in a different direction from your revised view. Because initially you mentioned complete abolition, then after listening to MINBYUN and women's groups you thought there might be a problem and changed your opinion. But the party decided on complete abolition.
 
[Park Ji-won]: So, prosecution only indicts, police only investigates—that's how it became. But if we meticulously plant functions in the Major Crimes Investigation Office to supplement such things, I think it might be possible.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Will you be alright with that?
 
[Park Ji-won]: I have to be fine with it.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Of course you have to be fine with it, since a new policy is being created. For the sake of the public, bad things shouldn't happen. But there is a possibility, right?
 
[Park Ji-won]: All possibilities exist. Therefore, currently, once the party line is decided, as a party member—of course personal conviction is also important—I think we can complement it that way, and I plan to follow the party line.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun]: But Representative, what I'm really curious about is why is this being done so quickly?
 
[Park Ji-won]: It needs to be done quickly.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Even the President urged deliberation.
 
[Park Ji-won]: While talking about that, we promised the public to do it before the party convention. So doing it before the party convention is fine.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Understood. But in this situation, there are reports that Minister of Justice Jeong Seong-ho expressed his intention to resign. Although he didn't say it directly to the President, he reportedly said, "I have no more work to do and no willingness. I think going back to the party to anchor things would be more meaningful." As for you, Representative, you said, "I understand the loyal intent, but the resignation must be rejected."
 
[Park Ji-won]: Minister Jeong Seong-ho has talked to me a lot about stepping down as Minister of Justice. Since he is close to me. But the President's prosecution reform, and as Minister of Justice, the Major Crimes Investigation Office and the Public Prosecution Office are set to launch on October 2. Avoiding this and leaving is not right, I think. It is an evasion of responsibility.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Evasion of responsibility?
 
[Park Ji-won]: Therefore, especially Minister Jeong Seong-ho is closer to the President than anyone else, isn't he?
 
[Kim Tae-hyun]: That's true.
 
[Park Ji-won]: Then for the President, he should sacrifice himself. Especially going abroad, as the Senior Secretary for Economic Affairs just mentioned, presenting such great results of 1,400 trillion won to the public. 1,400 trillion won is such a huge amount of money that I can't even grasp it.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Right.
 
[Park Ji-won]: But looking at it, it's two years' worth of our country's budget. It's money for 50 million citizens to live on for two years, and while such diplomatic activities are underway, for the Minister to say such things when the President isn't even here is not right, so it must be rejected.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun]: But Minister Jeong must also know that he needs to take responsibility until the launch of the Major Crimes Investigation Office and the Public Prosecution Office.
 
[Park Ji-won]: Launching those and then saying, "I've done all my work. Since prosecution reform is complete, and I'm tired after over a year, I'll return to the party and work for the party"—that would be understandable. But right before it, if Minister Jeong Seong-ho quits, is he opposing the President's prosecution reform? It could be interpreted that way too.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun]: So why do you guess Minister Jeong Seong-ho, who is virtually the President's confidant, said at this crucial time that he has no more work to do and no willingness, despite knowing all that?
 
[Park Ji-won]: I don't think he said it this time because he has always said that in ordinary times. Whatever the case, reject the resignation immediately and finish it. That is what a minister should do, I see it that way.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun]: At least keeping his position until the launch of the Major Crimes Investigation Office and the Public Prosecution Office is right?
 
[Park Ji-won]: Right. Doesn't that happen by the end of this year?
 
[Kim Tae-hyun]: But looking at some reports, Supreme Council Member Lee Sung-yoon also speculated like this. There are reports that after Minister Jeong resigns, Acting Prosecutor General Koo Ja-hyun is also contemplating his position. Supreme Council Member Lee Sung-yoon asked if the leadership of the Justice Ministry and Prosecution Service are quitting to protest. What about that?
 
[Park Ji-won]: That is a leap of logic and a leap of speculation. For the Acting Prosecutor General, he might feel that way. Minister Jeong Seong-ho is also the head of the prosecution. Therefore, regarding the virtual dissolution of the prosecution and the complete deprivation of investigative authority, he might feel considerable moral responsibility, but isn't that reform? If the national and historical spirit desired the separation of investigation and prosecution, it must be completed.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun]: But People Power Party Floor Leader Jeong Jeom-sig criticized that adopting the abolition of supplementary investigative powers as party line went against the President's wishes, so it's a defeat for the government, a complete victory for the ruling party hardliners, and the start of the President's lame duck status.
 
[Park Ji-won]: Well. Next time we might go and grab him by the collar.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Really? Understood.
 
[Park Ji-won]: When Yadang makes such statements, it's a kind of routine procedure, so there's no need to pay mind to it.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Understood. Let's talk about the Democratic Party convention. Thinking about this might give you a headache too. Right now, the clash between both sides has intensified so much. Shincheonji was mentioned as well. Do you think there is substance to this allegation?
 
[Park Ji-won]: Just as the Senior Secretary for Economic Affairs told SBS viewers, while the President is abroad with major companies like Samsung and SK making 1,400 trillion won deals in such a good situation, political circles—far from cooperating—are ruining things. In particular, our Democratic Party convention is not like a ruling party convention, but a Myeong-Cheong war, a Shincheonji war. It's a war. So first, I have doubts about why candidate Kim Min-seok, who is the overwhelming front-runner, didn't exercise caution and raised this issue.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Yes.
 
[Park Ji-won]: Second, if it was raised inevitably, the standard applied to the People Power Party should not be strong while being weak toward the Democratic Party. Therefore, Supreme Council Member Kim Min-seok must present evidence so investigative authorities can investigate, and if involvement is true, both the Democratic Party and Shincheonji must take legal responsibility. They must face judgment.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Just like the People Power Party?
 
[Park Ji-won]: Just like the People Power Party. That is what I say.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun]: But if candidate Kim Min-seok fails to present proper evidence, what do you think should be done?
 
[Park Ji-won]: Well, Prime Minister Kim Min-seok was the immediate former prime minister, wasn't he? He served as a successful prime minister with President Lee Jae-myung for a year. And when he, as the senior supreme council member before the presidential election, before December 3, continuously raised coup theories, I met him and said, "Senior Supreme Council Member Kim, what coup in the 21st century under the bright sky? We will face a backlash, so we'd better not do it." But he said, "No, senior, that plot is underway." And it turned out to be true.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun]: That's true.
 
[Park Ji-won]: Therefore, regarding the Shincheonji issue, whether organizational or on a local district chapter level, there must have been involvement. I believe candidate Kim Min-seok's words.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Yes.
 
[Park Ji-won]: However, we applied it to the People Power Party, and we must not refrain from applying it to the Democratic Party. Either way, religious groups like Unification Church or Shincheonji intervening in politics should be seized as an opportunity to root them out, and we should not try to cover it up.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun]: In any case, candidate Kim Min-seok should present any evidence he knows.
 
[Park Ji-won]: Naturally, the responsibility to present it lies with candidate Kim Min-seok.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun]: And the Democratic Party should also be investigated by the joint investigation headquarters just like the People Power Party, if it exists.
 
[Park Ji-won]: Naturally, it must be investigated.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun]: It must be rooted out?
 
[Park Ji-won]: Yes, rooted out completely.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun]: What if, after checking, there is nothing, and candidate Kim Min-seok cannot present evidence either? Because candidate Jeong Cheong-rae is demanding heavy disciplinary action right now.
 
[Park Ji-won]: Even if candidate Jeong Cheong-rae doesn't say so, candidate Kim Min-seok has no choice but to take political responsibility and all other responsibilities in such circumstances.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun]: If this turns out to be a total bluff.
 
[Park Ji-won]: Why do you keep calling it a bluff? You should look at the essence.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Because candidate Jeong Cheong-rae's side is speaking like that.
 
[Park Ji-won]: Are you candidate Jeong Cheong-rae's spokesperson?
 
[Kim Tae-hyun]: No.
 
[Park Ji-won]: Since you are not, you shouldn't speak like that. Right now, it's something to uncover, not cover up. That is the key point I am making.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun]: But why did you advise candidate Kim Min-seok to change strategy?
 
[Park Ji-won]: The strategy change wasn't like that. If he worked with President Lee Jae-myung, who succeeded for a year, and worked with a president who went to San Francisco and made the AI declaration generating 1,400 trillion won, now ordinary people, traditional markets, alley stores, and farming/fishing villages might think, "Is that 1,400 trillion won happening on the moon?" Times are tough right now.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Yes.
 
[Park Ji-won]: Therefore, at times like this, he should make it a policy convention, saying "I will become party leader and handle issues that the President hasn't thought of or cannot reach despite thinking about them." But when the top contender, a former prime minister, speaks like that, things don't go well.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Representative, I think this will be the last question. Let's look into foreign policy and security. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy claimed that "Russia is preparing an additional deployment of 30,000 North Korean troops." How do you view this situation now?
 
[Park Ji-won]: I am a member of the National Assembly Intelligence Committee. Of course, North Korea deployed about 15,000 troops to Ukraine, but I understand that some issues are occurring together in Russia as well.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Yes.
 
[Park Ji-won]: But speaking as a former NIS director, if they were deploying 30,000 more troops, the NIS would pick it up. Our NIS is no ordinary organization. It would be picked up, but seeing that it hasn't, I think Zelenskyy might be exaggerating a bit.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Indeed, to prepare and move a force of around 30,000 troops, we would be able to grasp it to some extent.
 
[Park Ji-won]: Right. And although there are movements in North Korea, no matter how much the foreign minister visited Russia, it would all be picked up.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Yes.
 
[Park Ji-won]: As for such matters, it is best to trust the NIS. But seeing that nothing like that has been picked up yet,
 
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Is it a groundless rumor?
 
[Park Ji-won]: Not a groundless rumor, but from Zelenskyy's perspective, I think he might be begging a bit by highlighting such risks to the Western world.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Understood. We will end it here. This was Democratic Party Representative Park Ji-won. Thank you.
 
[Park Ji-won]: Thank you.

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