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The normalization of politics begins at last

Published: 02 Sep. 2024, 19:44

In their first official two-way meeting, governing People Power Party (PPP) leader Han Dong-hoon and Democratic Party (DP) head Lee Jae-myung announced an eight-point agreement. The statement, short of eye-opening substance, is nevertheless meaningful, as the leaders of the two bickering parties have finally met since the 22nd National Assembly took off in May.

The two major parties agreed to launch a council to work on shared platforms to improve public livelihoods, making their first step to normalize the dysfunctional legislature. Their consensus encompassed support for the chip and AI industry and power infrastructure, exploring ways to alleviate debt burdens for households and microenterprises, expanding childcare leave and fighting sex crimes based on deepfake and digital technologies. Most of them can be expedited into laws as they are less politically sensitive.

The two leaders will soon launch a dialogue council to hopefully jump-start bipartisan activities. Both leaders emphasized “improving public livelihoods,” and if they meant it, they must back the council’s activity and protect it from partisan interests.

The rivalling parties put off the sticking point of abolishing a new comprehensive tax on capital gains on financial investments. Lee nevertheless left room for compromise, saying the party will study an incremental introduction of the tax, starting with a softer levy in the initial stage. The two parties are poised to launch legislature-level efforts to address the medical impasse from trainee doctors’ collective walkout in protest of the medical school admissions quota increase. If the two parties had shown such eagerness from the early stage of the walkout, the medical crisis could have shortened.

The two leaders agreed to “proactively” discuss re-allowing the operation of the district office system which shut down 20 years ago due to their abuse as channels for political bribery and illicit fund-raising. The re-opening of district chapters may vitalize community-level political activities, but the move requires deep consideration so as not to bring back the evil legacy.

The rivalling parties failed to agree on legislating a special counsel investigation into the government’s alleged meddling in the death of a Marine and the DP’s proposal of handing out a relief check of 250,000 won ($187) to every citizen. But if the two leaders keep up the meetings, they will be able to find breakthroughs in such sensitive issues, too. The meeting of the heads of the two parties took place for the first time in 11 years. The Han-Lee meeting must set a new precedent in Korean politics. They must end the politics of division and pave the way for compromise in the political arena. But if actions at the legislature remain the same, the historic meeting would be wasted as a charade.