- Choo Mi-ae's "budget straw" controversy? Disliked already, and another mistake made
- Sympathizes with local burden for firefighting and welfare, but remarks were reckless
- Apologizing because told to apologize? Makes people more upset... Must be sincere
- Party action? A leadership warning at most... Unlikely to lead to expulsion
- Formalizing Cho Hee-dae's impeachment? Fact that statutory law was violated, but
- Whether it holds practical value must follow public sentiment first
- Backlash against Cho Hee-dae will grow if Kim Keon-hee is released
- Brunson denying territorial sovereignty? Remarks even the president could not make
- What are the conservatives who champion national interest doing without protesting?
- Coupang influence? Doing business in Korea means following Korean law
- Not calling to replace Chung Dong-young and Lee Jong-seok... Renewal is what is needed
- Summoning Lim Eun-jeong to parliamentary audit? Too much is as bad as too little... Better to remain a public official
 
■ Broadcast: SBS Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show (FM 103.5 MHz 7:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.)
■ Date: October 19, 2026 (Monday)
■ Host: Attorney Kim Tae-hyun
■ Guest: Democratic Party of Korea Lawmaker Park Jie-won
 
[Kim Tae-hyun] We meet him every other week. Let's speak with 9th-dan political master Park Jie-won, lawmaker of the Democratic Party of Korea. Welcome, Lawmaker.
 
[Park Jie-won] Today, I'm a 9th-dan over-sleeper.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun] Still, thank you for coming out this morning. You must have returned from your constituency over the weekend; aren't you tired?
 
[Park Jie-won] Because it's SBS. I came up the day before yesterday. Yesterday, there was the Jindo County fellowship gathering in Seoul. Around 2,000 people turned up in the rain to show their love for their hometown and friends. Fortunately, a welcome rain fell in Seoul, but places like Haenam, Wando, and Jindo are agricultural areas. Adequate rain fell yesterday evening, and Haenam cabbages shot up fresh and green by 3 to 4 centimeters. Please make your kimchi with Haenam salted napa cabbages.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun] Understood. Haenam is famous, after all.
 
[Park Jie-won] It's great, the absolute best.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun] Lawmaker Park, a tragic accident occurred where a firefighter died in the line of duty in Bucheon. Coincidentally, before that accident happened, Governor Choo Mi-ae faced criticism for mentioning a "budget straw," and when apologizing after the accident, she added something like, "Since you tell me to apologize, I will."
 
[Park Jie-won] Well, Governor Choo Mi-ae keeps talking nonsense. If you're going to apologize, apologize cleanly, rather than saying you'll do it because you were told to. It gives critics an opening. She was already disliked, and for our Democratic Party, it is a dilemma where we can neither defend her nor discard her. But what Governor Choo said is actually right. While firefighters have become national civil servants, all the budget has been handed over to local governments, leading to problems with equipment and the like. Seoul and Gyeonggi are still better off. In rural provincial governments like South Jeolla Province, there is a huge disparity. I have also strongly called for this: fix it all. Firefighting and welfare services have been transferred to local governments, so the disparity is severe. So as a local government head, she should have pointed out those issues point by point, instead of calling it a "budget straw."
 
[Kim Tae-hyun] The phrasing.
 
[Park Jie-won] The phrasing. Saying, "I'm apologizing because you told me to." Hearing that just rubs people the wrong way.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun] So you also see that Governor Choo's apology was not sufficient, and right now, party members—
 
[Park Jie-won] Even people who committed treason don't apologize for that kind of thing. Some claim Chun Doo-hwan did not commit rebellion, and some claim Yoon Suk-yeol did not commit rebellion. Others say things like, "If you're jealous of the inmate support money, go to prison yourself." It's extreme. But those on that other side never apologize. Chang Dong-hyeok doesn't apologize either. Still, if our Democratic Party makes a mistake, we apologize. She should have cleared it up cleanly by saying, "I was wrong."
 
[Kim Tae-hyun] Perhaps because of that, an emergency meeting was held by the Gyeonggi Provincial Party chapter last night. Some party members seem to be demanding Governor Choo's expulsion from the party. Does this require some measure at the party level? Party leader Kim Min-seok must have a lot to think about.
 
[Park Jie-won] Well, I also receive a lot of texts and phone calls demanding her expulsion or a recall vote. But would it really go that far? If Governor Choo sincerely states again, "That was not my true intention," perhaps at the memorial service, and as the head of the funeral committee, expresses her position and shows consideration for the firefighting budget, things will improve. Fundamentally, I believe the central government must improve firefighting and welfare issues.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun] The budget and related issues?
 
[Park Jie-won] Yes.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun] Understood. Still, even if it's not expulsion, the party leadership should do something like—
 
[Park Jie-won] I think the leadership should issue a warning.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun] And Governor Choo should also issue an additional statement. That's what you mean, right?
 
[Park Jie-won] That's right.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun] Understood. Since the memorial service is held today, and Governor Choo is also a co-chair of the funeral committee—
 
[Park Jie-won] She will do it there.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun] The party leadership should issue a warning, you say.
 
[Park Jie-won] Because the party needs to establish discipline, and the ones who ultimately suffer damage from such mistakes are President Lee Jae-myung and the Democratic Party.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun] Indeed.
 
[Park Jie-won] That is why issuing a warning and managing things well so that such incidents do not happen in other regions is what the party should do.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun] Understood. Let's turn to Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae. Party leader Kim Min-seok has virtually formalized impeachment now.
 
[Park Jie-won] Rather than formalizing it, in our Legislation and Judiciary Committee, there are strong arguments to impeach him, and I also strongly argue that we must impeach him. However, public trust in the judiciary remains the highest among state institutions. Also, Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae only has seven or eight months left in his term. Therefore, while deciding whether it holds practical value is up to the leadership while reading public sentiment, the grounds for impeachment are more than sufficient right now. Even without going through every single detail, he undermined trust in the judiciary. Remanding candidate Lee Jae-myung's case in just two days—how can anyone review 7 million pages of records? You can't. If Supreme Court justices rule without looking at the records, can the public trust them? Looking at login records and the like, that was also false. More importantly, he held a response meeting on December 4. Wasn't that colluding with the rebellion? On top of that, look at this time. There are countless irregularities involving corporate cards, wine, and encouragement allowances. If so, did the Chief Justice do the right thing? He committed criminal acts.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun] But Lawmaker, an investigation hasn't even been conducted. If it goes to the Constitutional Court for impeachment, you must win there unconditionally. But—
 
[Park Jie-won] But during our committee's parliamentary audit, the Chairman of the Board of Audit and Inspection stated in his testimony that, based on their audit results, it violated the National Finance Act. Therefore, while an investigation by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials or the police is needed for an indictment, isn't it true that he violated statutory law?
 
[Kim Tae-hyun] If impeachment is pursued, a quorum in the National Assembly won't be a problem since the Democratic Party holds the majority.
 
[Park Jie-won] That won't be an issue.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun] The problem is winning at the Constitutional Court.
 
[Park Jie-won] That's why people consider whether the Constitutional Court could reach a verdict within six or seven months, but—
 
[Kim Tae-hyun] That, too, within six or seven months.
 
[Park Jie-won] Some say that once an impeachment motion is passed, duties are suspended, so even achieving that effect could be worthwhile.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun] Duties are suspended, yes.
 
[Park Jie-won] The leadership will deliberate carefully.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun] Since this involves impeaching the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, core supporters might welcome it, but leaving aside conservatives, there could be a backlash among moderates politically.
 
[Park Jie-won] That's why I'm saying they will consider various aspects and are considering them.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun] Former First Lady Kim Keon-hee's detention period expires at the end of this month. Reports say the special counsel requested an extension and a supplemental arrest warrant. If that is not issued, she will be released due to the expiration of the detention period.
 
[Park Jie-won] They cannot let it end like that. That would be unthinkable. Wasn't it also Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae who transferred that case to the en banc court?
 
[Kim Tae-hyun] Yes.
 
[Park Jie-won] That's why the grounds for impeachment are overflowing, so much so that I couldn't finish listing them even if I spoke for an hour.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun] If the Supreme Court does not issue an additional arrest warrant and releases her simply because the detention period expired, would that add further momentum to impeaching Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae?
 
[Park Jie-won] Naturally.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun] If she is released, pursue it immediately?
 
[Park Jie-won] And before that, the public will riot. How could anyone think of releasing Kim Keon-hee? How could they abruptly transfer the case to the en banc court right before sentencing?
 
[Kim Tae-hyun] Understood. And within the Democratic Party, Lawmaker, Shincheonji—
 
[Park Jie-won] And regarding Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae, if things have reached this point, the judiciary itself would rise up if it felt it was unjust.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun] Collective petitions?
 
[Park Jie-won] Personnel reshuffles and all. Yet not a word is heard. Not a single sound, even from junior judges in the judiciary.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun] They should take action now instead of staying quiet?
 
[Park Jie-won] For his own sake, it would be best for him to step down cleanly.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun] Understood. Lawmaker, let's discuss diplomacy and national security. You served as Director of the National Intelligence Service. Gen. Brunson, Commander of United States Forces Korea, made remarks that "the conditions for the wartime operational control transfer between South Korea and the United States have changed." On the same day and at the same venue, he also said that "South Korea's territory begins at the southern barbed wire fence," which appeared to deny our territorial sovereignty over the Demilitarized Zone. How do you view this?
 
[Park Jie-won] USFK Commander Brunson spoke about our territorial issues in a way that even the President of the Republic of Korea could not speak. Ever since his confirmation hearing in the U.S. Senate, Brunson gave ambiguous remarks regarding the OPCON transfer issue. It might be his personal disposition.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun] Yes.
 
[Park Jie-won] But what infuriates me even more is our conservative bloc. Conservatives ought to place even greater emphasis on territory and sovereignty. This is unacceptable. Yet conservative forces remain completely silent even when the commander of the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command makes such remarks. Had President Lee Jae-myung made such comments, the conservative media would have caused an uproar. What on earth are the conservative forces, who claim to defend national territory for the national interest, doing? That is what makes me angry again.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun] Why do you think Commander Brunson is doing this? Could there be an underlying motive?
 
[Park Jie-won] Of course, some speculate that he is considering Coupang and diplomatic issues. Military figures should not engage in politics.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun] That is true.
 
[Park Jie-won] While there is such talk, I don't believe he is playing that kind of politics. It's simply that once wartime operational control is transferred and retrieved by us, our side becomes the commander, and the USFK commander becomes the deputy commander. Some say the post could be downgraded to a lieutenant general. Furthermore, there are pride issues, with some asking how the United States could take orders from a South Korean commander. I don't know for certain. Regardless, who is he to dictate our territorial issues? Does being the USFK commander give him the right to speak about our sovereign territory as he pleases? Our entire public should rise up against this. Conservatives in particular always align with the United States, but they should stand up. Seeing our conservative forces incapable of uttering a single word makes me question their legitimacy. I view the media the same way.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun] You mentioned it earlier, and this was an exclusive report by The Hankyoreh. It reported that U.S. intelligence authorities signaled that if South Korea wants intelligence sharing on North Korean nuclear issues, the Coupang matter must also be resolved. At first glance, Coupang and intelligence sharing seem completely unrelated, don't they?
 
[Park Jie-won] That's right. And since Coupang conducts corporate activities in our country, when in Rome, you follow Roman law. It is subject to our laws. Our companies invested heavily in the United States, yet their employees were detained by immigration authorities at factories, handcuffed, and subjected to such humiliation. Even so, we cooperated and resolved everything. But regarding Coupang, I find this utterly unacceptable. Of course, foreign companies should not face unfair discrimination in Korea either. However, personal data and records of our citizens were all hacked, causing serious problems.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun] Yes.
 
[Park Jie-won] We are a sovereign nation. The Republic of Korea is a sovereign state. Who is more pro-American than I am? I am unconditionally pro-American, and having served as Director of the National Intelligence Service, I adhere to former President Kim Dae-jung's policies and teachings that all diplomacy and security stem from the ROK-U.S. alliance. Because of that special relationship, we must engage with North Korea from that foundation. That has always been my stance. Yet the USFK commander steps in on our national affairs. Why should we tolerate this? How can we accept such humiliation regarding our intelligence activities and Coupang? I believe conservatives must act together for the national interest. When progressives are at fault, conservatives should step up and say, "This is wrong." But remaining silent like a mute will only lead the United States to look down on us even more in the future. That is my view.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun] Lawmaker, a while ago you mentioned that Director Lee Jong-seok and Minister Chung Dong-young needed to be replaced.
 
[Park Jie-won] I didn't say they should be replaced; I said they should be careful.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun] Be careful?
 
[Park Jie-won] Yes.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun] You mentioned renewal. By renewal, do you mean—
 
[Park Jie-won] Renewal is necessary. Currently, the only country on the entire planet that can say "No" to U.S. demands is North Korea's Kim Jong-un.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun] Yes.
 
[Park Jie-won] Neither Putin nor Xi Jinping can say "No." In the end, they do what the U.S. demands. In particular, our country must move forward together with the United States. But if such issues arise in intelligence cooperation or diplomacy, we need renewal to set things right. That is what I am saying.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun] You are not saying to remove the two from their posts?
 
[Park Jie-won] That's right. If we remove them now, what happens to our diplomacy and our administration? Things need to be fixed.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun] Understood. We have a little under a minute left. Lastly, you are currently serving on the Legislation and Judiciary Committee. Should Lim Eun-jeong, head of the Gwangju Regional Office of the Central Investigation Agency, be summoned as a reference witness to the parliamentary audit? Lawmaker Park Eun-jung reportedly requested her as a reference witness.
 
[Park Jie-won] Well, that is a matter for the Legislation and Judiciary Committee to decide, but I don't think there is a need to summon her.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun] Why is that?
 
[Park Jie-won] Why?
 
[Kim Tae-hyun] Yes. Do you mean that having her appear will only generate more controversy?
 
[Park Jie-won] Lim Eun-jeong, head of the Gwangju Regional Office, is also a public official herself.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun] Understood.
 
[Park Jie-won] Too much is as bad as too little.
 
[Kim Tae-hyun] Understood. We will wrap up here. This has been Democratic Party of Korea Lawmaker Park Jie-won. Thank you.
 
[Park Jie-won] Thank you.
 
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