Singer-producer J.Y. Park spoke publicly about his political views for the first time since his debut.
Appearing on the Nov. 5 episode of MBC’s talk show "Radio Star," Park discussed why he accepted a ministerial-level, civilian appointment as co-chair of the Presidential Commission on Cultural Exchange and said both left- and right-leaning policies are necessary.
“Left to itself, capitalism favors the wealthy, so policies that protect ordinary people are essential,” he said. “But if you protect more than other countries do, capital leaves―so conservative policies are also necessary.” He added, “I don’t plan to belong to either camp. I’m not progressive or conservative―I’m just J.Y. Park.”
Park said he initially turned the role down multiple times after first being offered it as a full-time position, explaining it would be hard to juggle with his entertainment career. For three months he refused, but during that time the president’s chief of staff kept removing obstacles “until there was no reason left to say no.” Although the post is part-time with ministerial protocol, he declined the perks, including an official car and salary.
“It’s an honorary role―I’m not taking any actual pay,” he noted, adding that he wants to take on initiatives for K-pop that go beyond what a private company can do.
On Nov. 1, Park attended the state dinner during the 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Gyeongju as commission co-chair, where he exchanged greetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping―an encounter that drew buzz. On social media, he wrote that he was happy to meet Xi and hoped popular culture would bring the two nations closer.
The Presidential Commission on Cultural Exchange is a presidential advisory body charged with crafting policy recommendations to expand the global reach of Korean popular culture and cultural exchange. Acknowledging the political weight of the job, Park said he plans to focus on the public mission for K-culture and “work hard.”
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)