The Democratic Party launched a reform task force for the Democratic Research Institute, its think tank, on the 25th and signaled a sweeping overhaul.
Kang Deuk-gu, head of the reform task force, said at the group's first meeting at the National Assembly that day that the institute would be reshaped to serve as a base for sustained governance. "We will make it function as a headquarters for building a stronger Democratic Party, a winning Democratic Party, that stays in power," he said. "We will redesign the institute's structure and functions so that strategy and policy are produced more quickly and organically, and lead to party decision-making."
Earlier, party leader Kim Min-seok said during the national convention that he would turn the Democratic Research Institute into a headquarters for a sustained-governance plan. After taking office as party leader, he entrusted the institute's overhaul to Kang, one of his closest aides. The task force includes An Tae-jun, deputy secretary-general for organization, and Park Hee-seung, standing deputy chair of the party's policy committee, along with Kim Yong, former deputy head of the Democratic Research Institute who lost in the main primary for supreme council member; Min Ki, former chief of staff to the prime minister; and Kang Hee-yong, former political cooperation secretary at the Prime Minister's Office.
"Work that overlaps with other party organizations must be boldly adjusted and then consolidated," Kang said. "We will dramatically strengthen our polling and public-sentiment analysis functions." He also said, "We will carry out the role of educating and training excellent Democratic Party resources, including local government heads, local council members and candidates who came from the party."
Meeting with reporters after the meeting, Kang addressed the status of Lee Jae-young, head of the Democratic Research Institute, who was appointed under the leadership of Chung Chung-rae. "The head of the Democratic Research Institute is typically not a fixed appointment but a term position, and by custom submits a resignation when the party leader changes," he said. "It seems he is weighing his options within that existing practice."
On a possible name change, Kang said, "First there needs to be reflection on the broad direction, a settling of positions, an organizational assessment, and then rules for the Democratic Research Institute." He added, "I think it makes sense to consider a name that fits the direction at the final stage of the process."
