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Politics is about correcting wrongs

Published: 11 Dec. 2024, 19:05

Chung Un-chan
The author, a former president of Seoul National University, is the chairman of the Korea Institute of Shared Growth.

The unimaginable unfolded in South Korea in the 21st century. Its democratically elected president declared martial law, a relic of authoritarian rule. Thankfully, the dangerous attempt had failed thanks to the legislative branch that immediately acted its role of checking and balancing the executive power by voting against the move.

Days later, the president emerged to apologize for his action. The National Assembly again swiftly moved to impeach the president, but its action was not successful since the turnout failed to hit a quorum as the governing party members walked out. The opposition camp plans to pursue impeachment weekly until it goes through. All this happened over a week. Their standoff amounts to nothing more than children playing soldiers.

The decree details announced by the Martial Law Commander were as preposterous as the declaration itself. All the basic rights of civilians — freedom of assembly, rallies and press — were denied. Yoon Suk Yeol, the president who instituted the anticonstitutional decree, spoke of “freedom” 35 times during his inauguration speech two and half years ago. I was disappointed by the neglected attribution to “equality” in his speech. Still, I had no doubt about his conviction in freedom.

But as soon as he passed the midpoint of his term, he went to the extreme opposite to threaten to strip citizens of their sacred constitutional provisions of freedom. The man seated before live TV camera stoically reading the martial law announcement was unrecognizable from the zealous new leader who vowed to deliver a “free country for free citizens.”

South Korea has endured a tumultuous journey since the liberation from Japanese colonial rule, surviving tragedies like a war and a massacre in Gwangju during democracy movement with hard-won rewards like the 1988 Seoul Olympics and an early exit from international bailout. Yet the startling martial law event has shaken even the strongest survivor. The country would have descended to total anarchy if the military under martial law command had collided with innocent citizens.

Politics is meandering into the abyss in the aftermath of martial law. The country is in a fog, further straining the fragile economy. Korea, which had recently drawn envy around the world with its soft as well hard power from chips to K-pop on top of its honorable economic, democratic and digital attainment over a short period, is now drawing international mockery.

There is only one way out from this shameful state. Political normalization is the sole solution, and the key is held by the people in the presidential office and National Assembly. Responsibility follows the enormous honor of representing the people. Power should be dreaded. Like the Sword of Damocles, it could be dangling by the slimmest of threads above one’s head, able to drop at any moment.

Confucius had said, “To govern is to correct.” A political leader should overcome their ambition and greed and correct themselves before coming before the people. As a law student in Seoul National University, Yoon chaired the bench in a mock trial on former Chun Doo Hwan some 40 years ago and handed him a life sentence for his misdoings in a military coup and civilian repressions.

I wish to beseech the president to willfully step down and comply with the wishes of the people, his party and the opposition. Retiring himself from the office he abused should be his last service to the people and military for betraying their trust.

Politicians on both sides of the aisle seem to be entirely immersed in protecting or stealing the governing power up for grabs. I ask them what’s more important — their wellbeing or that of the people and the country? Will the governing party’s head be willing to surrender his bid for presidency to another person after he oversees crisis management with the president if he truly means nothing more than to clean up the current mess? And to the opposition party head, doesn’t he feel any liability for abusing the legislature for his selfish purposes and will he honestly face the remaining trials?

I plead to the leaders of the main parties to stop the partisan fight over power and instead stand together before foreign and local media to seek their support in their united struggle to rebuild the nation.

After the downfall of the military regime through a constitutional amendment in 1980, it had taken two “Kim” dissident leaders 12 years and 17 years to ascend finally to presidency. History repeats itself then and now if we do not learn any lesson.

Translation by the Korea JoongAng Daily staff.