Learning from the two novice legislators

Two first-term lawmakers of the majority Democratic Party (DP) announced they will not run in the upcoming parliamentary election on April 10. They are Rep. Lee Tan-hee, a former judge, and Rep. Hong Seong-guk, the former CEO of Mirae Asset, an investment company. They are not quitting because of problems with their legislative career or personal issues. As many candidates are vying to get nominated and elected as lawmakers, the two novice legislators decided to opt out and not run in the next election. In contrast, many bigwigs in the DP and the governing People Power Party (PPP) want to hold on to their seats in the National Assembly despite the growing demand that they step down.

There’s no doubt our politics have reached a pitiful level. Rep. Lee stressed that political reform must start by ending the deep-seated politics of hatred aimed at reaping any possible political gains from demonizing the rival.

The two parties are still reluctant to talk or compromise with one another. They must listen to the swan songs of the two first-term lawmakers before it is too late.

Rep. Hong called for the drastic resolution of the worsening polarization and climate change, not to mention the balanced development of the country, transformation of our industrial structure and national pension reform. He confessed that he could not change it due to the limits of our backward political culture. As he pointed out, political circles have never had a head-to-head debate to address the challenges of the country. Hong said he wants to serve as a researcher later to help create a better future for the country through direct communication with citizens, not voters.

Despite the fresh lawmakers’ candid confessions, political heavyweights are only following their regressive impulse to enjoy their vested interests. Senior lawmakers of the PPP, for instance, are still engrossed in being nominated for constituencies friendly to them, including their home grounds in South and North Gyeongsang.

The DP is no different. Its former leader Song Young-gil on Wednesday exercised his right to remain silent when the prosecution summoned him to investigate the suspicion over his involvement in handing out cash to party members to help him get elected as party leader in 2021. The prosecution later requested an arrest warrant for him. Despite another lingering suspicion that he received illegal political funds from supporters, Song has never made an apology. Instead, he plans to get a seat by founding a satellite party aimed to oust President Yoon Suk Yeol from office. We wonder what the veteran legislator would say to the two novice lawmakers.