SUWON — Current and former women local lawmakers in Gyeonggi Province declared their formal support on the 12th for Moon Jung-bok, a candidate for chair of the Democratic Party of Korea's National Women's Committee.
The declaration, issued at the Gyeonggi Provincial Council briefing room that morning, was signed by 112 current and former women members of provincial and municipal councils in the province. About 30 of them attended the press conference in person to throw their weight behind Moon. The declaration was read out by Koh Eun-jung, vice speaker of the Gyeonggi Provincial Council, and Kim Kye-soon, speaker of the Gimpo City Council, on behalf of sitting local lawmakers.
In the declaration, the participants described local politics as "the front line of grassroots democracy, where it touches residents' lives most directly." They said the channels for women local lawmakers who have proven their capabilities in their communities to move onto a broader political stage remain limited.
They stressed that the National Women's Committee should be remade into an organization that identifies and develops women party members in the regions. The goal, they said, should be to build a growth structure in which rank-and-file members can enter local politics and local lawmakers can in turn expand into national politics and key party roles.
The participants also drew attention to Moon's political record. They noted that she started out as a rank-and-file party member and gained experience in local communities and local politics, then went on to work in party organizations and election campaigns before broadening her activities to national politics.
They cited the qualities needed in a National Women's Committee chair as an understanding of the field, experience running party organizations, practical campaign skills, and leadership that has brought people together to produce results. Moon, they said, is the right person to turn the experience of local politics into a driving force for the growth of women in politics.
Song Hye-sook, a former Bucheon City Council member, said, "The results that women local lawmakers have built up in their communities must not stop there," adding, "That experience has to be able to carry over into the next stage of politics." She also said, "Because Moon Jung-bok has been through both the rank and file and local politics herself, she is a candidate who understands the realities and growth challenges facing women politicians."
Chung Yoon-kyung, a former vice speaker of the Gyeonggi Provincial Council who moderated the press conference, said, "What the National Women's Committee needs now is leadership that connects regions and generations, and those in office with those who have served." She said, "We look forward to a women's committee that brings the strength of women party members together, respects local politics and develops people."
After reading the declaration, the participants made their support clear by chanting slogans including "The strength of women in solidarity, Moon Jung-bok" and "A stronger Democratic Party, Moon Jung-bok."
Moon announced her candidacy for chair of the National Women's Committee on the 8th. Her main pledges include expanding women's political participation and building a ladder for their advancement, strengthening gender equality and women's safety policies, running the women's committee around rank-and-file members, and pursuing a "women's committee that moves alongside the public 365 days a year."