As Koreans prepare to vote, can hope be found at the edge of despair?

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As Koreans prepare to vote, can hope be found at the edge of despair?

Published: 19 May. 2025, 00:01

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Choi Hoon

The author is the senior columnist at the JoongAng Ilbo.

Campaign slogans for the June 3 presidential election line the streets of Korea. “A true Republic of Korea, from now on” says Democratic Party (DP) candidate Lee Jae-myung. “A new Korea” proclaims People Power Party (PPP) candidate Kim Moon-soo. “A new president for a new era” declares the minor Reform Party candidate Lee Jun-seok. Yet the air does not crackle with the excitement one might expect from what is often called the nation's “festival of democracy.” Instead of anticipation, many voters express anxiety over what may follow, rather than hope for meaningful change.

On May 13, the second day of official campaigning for the 21st presidential election, Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung (left) speaks to voters on Dongseongno Street in Daegu, People Power Party candidate Kim Moon-soo campaigns at Sinjeong Market in Nam District, Ulsan, and Reform Party candidate Lee Jun-seok holds a rally at Kyungpook National University in Daegu. [YONHAP]

This will be Korea’s ninth direct presidential election since democratization in 1987. More years have passed since that pivotal moment than the span of Japanese colonial rule. The energy and hope that once filled the June Square — epitomized in the protest anthem “On That Day” — reflected the belief that electing a president by popular vote would transform the country. But the song’s lyricist, Moon Seung-hyeon, later expressed his disillusionment. “I don’t read newspapers or watch TV anymore,” he said in an interview two decades later. “I thought things would get better once the dictatorship ended, but people are still unhappy and always fighting. I’m tired of the same politics and the same past.” Eighteen years have passed since that interview. It’s hard to believe his sentiments have changed.

With 20 days remaining until the 21st presidential election, officials at the Jung District Election Commission in Seoul review submitted campaign posters on May 14. [JANG JIN-YOUNG]

Political theorists offer minimal definitions of democracy. Adam Przeworski of New York University describes it as a system where the ruling party can lose. Joseph Schumpeter defined it as a competition among elites for power. By these definitions, Korea has been a democracy since 1987. But in substance, the country still falls short.

There has been little progress in deepening democracy — no consistent respect for minority voices, no institutionalized deliberation or compromise, and no public-first approach to governance. The failure to evolve has bred populism and constant electoral disputes. Voters are disenchanted, watching parties swap out candidates and slogans with the sheen of marketing rather than meaning. Elections have become an empty ritual.

In recent weeks, frustration has given way to despair. A midnight internal party maneuver by the PPP to anoint a preferred candidate by filing 32 nomination documents in under an hour was widely seen as an affront to democratic principles. Had party members not rejected it the following day through a vote, critics argue the party would have lost all remaining credibility.

Equally alarming are moves by the DP to intimidate the judiciary following a Supreme Court ruling unfavorable to its candidate. Calls for special prosecutors, impeachment, and even lowering the physical height of judges’ benches reflect an increasingly hostile stance toward judicial independence. These developments evoke the warnings of America's Founding Fathers. James Madison cautioned that concentration of all powers in one entity leads to tyranny. Alexander Hamilton insisted that no one should be a judge in their own cause. That such fears now seem relevant in Korea’s current political landscape is troubling, particularly when voiced by a party that long claimed to champion democracy and progress.

Still, there may be cause for cautious optimism. Przeworski once said that democratic progress often follows periods of deep disillusionment. When societies recognize the limits of what elections alone can accomplish — especially regarding inequality, rights, and institutional performance — they may begin to build more resilient democracies. This election, then, could represent the bottom from which renewal is possible.

Both Lee Jae-myung and Kim Moon-soo are directly connected to Korea’s democratization. At 60, Lee chose the path of human rights law during that transformative era. Kim, now 73, was a prominent figure in the democratization movement. Both have a responsibility to offer reflections and proposals on why Korea’s democratic promise has yet to be fulfilled.

Lee’s proposal for a constitutional amendment to introduce a four-year, renewable presidential term and to redistribute executive power away from a strong presidency should not be dismissed. These ideas deserve urgent and substantive debate. They may mark the start of meaningful reform if pursued sincerely and inclusively.

Eight lawmakers discuss on how to reform the Constitution at the National Assembly in western Seoul in 1987. [YONHAP]

Also critical is the role of Reform Party candidate Lee Jun-seok, and the first contender from a post-democratization generation. With a core pledge to curtail presidential power, Lee presents himself as an outsider who can hold both major parties accountable. His confrontational tone may be off-putting, but his critique of Korea’s dominant political duopoly resonates. “How can parties that fail to practice democracy internally bring about democratic reform for the country?” he asks.

With just two weeks remaining, the younger candidate's challenge to dismantle the contradictions and entrenched privileges of Korea’s political class is gaining attention. Voters may not be excited about any of the candidates, but they remain deeply concerned about the country. In that space between despair and hope, this election must carve a path forward.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.