Lee must prove his ability to lead the party

Former Democratic Party (DP) leader Lee Jae-myung has declared his bid for the chairmanship of the majority opposition again despite his judicial risks. Lee already made clear his intention to re-bid for the party leadership. Two weeks ago, he said, “I would not resign from the post if I wouldn’t run for the chairmanship again.”

In a statement on Wednesday, Lee stressed that he would do anything if he can “turn today’s despair into tomorrow’s hope.” Lee also allotted much time to presenting his visions for the country’s future. “Improving people’s livelihood should be the only ideology in this country,” he said. “The DP can do that.”

But Lee skipped the sensitive parts — the four ongoing trials over his alleged involvements in the two suspicious development projects, his alleged subornation of perjury and his alleged pressure on a private company to remit $8 million to North Korea in return for favors. Lee dismissed public criticism for abusing the majority party to protect himself from his own judicial risks in the past 22 months, not to mention the majority party’s habitual railroading of controversial bills and repeated impeachments of government officials.

Lee refused the growing demand that he stop his fandom-based politics. “You can’t call the party members’ overwhelming support for me as an emperor-like politics,” he said. Lee can run for the party leadership again. But if he does not reflect on the past, his words can’t convince people.

After Lee declared to re-bid for the chairmanship, former South Gyeongsang Gov. Kim Doo-kwan entered the race to “block Lee from dominating the party” and “prevent the DP from destroying democracy with a one-man rule.” After another person joined the contest, the national convention will be held to elect one of the three candidates next month. But the other two candidates cannot defeat Lee no matter what. The rate of reflecting the votes from party members with voting rights — mostly Lee supporters — rose to 56 percent from the previous 40 percent.

The DP’s landslide victory in the April 10 parliamentary elections was not possible if the opposition couldn’t gain from voters’ deepening disappointments at the government. This time, Lee must prove his ability as true leader of the majority party. People’s livelihoods are worsening and the medical crisis over the medical school admissions quota increase doesn’t show any signs of resolution.

The country must also achieve national pension, labor and education reforms in a bipartisan way. Nothing is easy. If things go wrong, the majority party cannot avoid responsibility. The national convention must not serve simply as a venue to enthrone Lee again.