Ko Min-jung declares bid for Democratic Party leadership, vows 'young, inclusive party'

Rep. Ko Min-jung has officially declared her candidacy for the leadership of the Democratic Party, vowing to forge a "young and inclusive" party that actively listens to and cultivates younger voices.

Announcing her bid for the August 17th party convention, Ko positioned herself as a contender aiming to revitalize the party. She stated her intention to create a Democratic Party that represents the majority of citizens and improves their lives, drawing inspiration from the legacies of past leaders like Kim Dae-jung, Roh Moo-hyun, and Moon Jae-in.

Ko directly addressed the party's recent electoral setbacks, particularly the alienation of the 2030 demographic in the last local elections. She stressed the urgent need for introspection and the development of concrete solutions to address the party's shortcomings. "We must change. We must abandon stigmatizing and derogatory language, recognize our opponents, and communicate to find solutions," Ko urged, warning that continued internal power struggles over trivial matters would jeopardize the party's chances in the upcoming general election and its goal of regaining the presidency.

To foster a more youth-oriented party, Ko proposed implementing a "youth party position quota system" to ensure a certain percentage of key party roles are reserved for young individuals. She also plans to establish a "party member public opinion committee" for major policy decisions and a "Youth Future Committee" directly under the party leader, with the committee chair serving as the youth vice-chairperson to facilitate direct communication. As the only female candidate in her 40s among the four contenders, Ko aims to bring a fresh perspective to the party leadership.