Don’t let conservatism fall apart

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Don’t let conservatism fall apart

Published: 08 Jul. 2024, 19:56

Chang Se-jeong
The author is an editorial writer of the JoongAng Ilbo.

The international order is in a state of anomie. The United States, South Korea’s only ally, is in turmoil as talk of possibly replacing a presidential candidate spreads before the November election. From across the Pacific Ocean, a tsunami is ready to hit the Korean Peninsula. It would be naïve and irresponsible to place Korea’s security in the hands of a faltering Pax Americana.

North Korea and Russia have rewound the clock to the treaty between the North and the Soviet Union in 1961, which included a provision for mutual military intervention in case of emergency. The British Conservative Party, which held power for 14 years, suffered the worst-ever defeat in 190 years since its establishment in 1834. Continental Europe, including Germany and France, is facing skyrocketing prices and the dominance of far-right groups that oppose immigration.

Domestically, toxic political fights have reached a dangerous level. Even the opening ceremony of the new 22nd National Assembly couldn’t be held due to extreme confrontations between the governing and opposition parties. The majority Democratic Party (DP), with 175 seats in the 300-member National Assembly, is poised to run the legislature more rampantly than the previous one by mobilizing small opposition parties. Following the attempt to impeach the chairman of the Korea Communications Commission, the DP proposed impeachments of four prosecutors, hinting at its frantic impatience. Perhaps the DP fears the deepening judicial risks of its leader Lee Jae-myung, as the district court is about to wrap up his trial and deliver a ruling.

Apart from the DP, the behavior of the governing People Power Party (PPP) has left people feeling frustrated, disappointed and angry, not to mention unsettled. Even in Daegu, North Gyeongsang, Busan, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang — the traditional strongholds of the PPP — the approval ratings of President Yoon Suk Yeol and the party fell remarkably.

This is because the PPP has shown no signs of rebounding from its crushing defeat in the April 10 parliamentary elections. The party is busy with internal fights and factional power struggles ahead of the chairmanship election. Under the current circumstances, it is doubtful that the party will regain public trust, no matter who wins the race. While a typhoon is approaching the country, the PPP is stilling focusing all its energy on a blame game for the general election defeat. A text message — sent in January from the first lady to then-PPP interim leader Han Dong-hoon — has become another source of internal conflict.

Given the massive political schedules ahead — such as the 2026 local elections, the 2027 presidential election and the 2028 legislative elections — there is no time to waste on internal conflicts. The party needs to get its act together and unite its 108 lawmakers in the Assembly for a glimpse of hope.

Unless the Yoon administration erases the image of “an incompetent administration led by prosecutors,” the PPP may lose the Seoul mayoralty in the 2026 local elections. If the conservative government fails to turn things around, it will lose the next presidential election. If the DP wins the 2027 presidential election, it will have a clear advantage in the 2028 parliamentary elections. In this case, the conservative party as well as the right wing, who upholds constitutional values, could collapse until the next parliamentary election in 2032.

The PPP may have its excuses, but many people would agree that the president and his wife have provided reasons for serious public dissent. In the face of crises at home and abroad, any serious political party should have a grand strategy, take a deep breath and play politics with a bigger picture in mind. The only way out is to restore trust with the public.

For political survival, the PPP must start with the restoration of fairness and common sense. It can only go forward after addressing the following two issues quickly.

First is the alleged cover-up of a military investigation into the suspicious death of a Marine. President Yoon must make up his mind to appoint an independent counsel to investigate the allegation as soon as the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials completes its probe. As the DP’s independent counsel probe bill includes some unreasonable ways to recommend special prosecutor candidates, the PPP should propose a revision.

Second is the case involving the first lady’s suspicious acceptance of a luxury handbag from a pastor and her alleged stock price manipulation. She must comply with the prosecution’s probes and apologize to the public. There seems to be no alternative to resolve this problem other than facing the issue straightforwardly.

The PPP and the government have until the end of this year to turn around the situation. This will be the last “golden time.” After next year, everything will be about the 2026 local elections, and it will be impossible for the PPP to escape the swamp of political fights. It will be too late to regret foolishness by stalling time and aggravating the problem. The PPP and the government must stop conservatives, who will faithfully defend the values of the Constitution, from falling apart.