Candidates trapped in their shells
Published: 29 May. 2025, 00:01
Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI
The author is the head of the editorial board at the JoongAng Ilbo.
In any democracy, the presidency is a paradoxical institution. While the president emerges from a political base, they must ultimately govern for the entire nation. Political scientist Robert Dahl described this tension succinctly in "Constitution and Democracy in the United States" (1987): “We Americans seem to want a president who is both a master politician and a great national leader.” This dual expectation has shaped Korea’s own understanding of presidential leadership since the country adopted U.S.-style democracy after liberation.
![Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, greets supporters after finishing a campaign speech in Namyangju, Gyeonggi, on May 26. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/05/29/253a371b-6d6a-4ac2-b4b6-6fe79120f8ed.jpg)
Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, greets supporters after finishing a campaign speech in Namyangju, Gyeonggi, on May 26. [NEWS1]
Former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s downfall stemmed from his failure to balance these roles. Obsessed with the idea of being a national leader, he dismissed the need to function as a pragmatic politician. Rather than negotiating with the opposition, he branded them as enemies of the state.
The upcoming presidential election had raised hopes of restoring this balance between idealism and realism. Many expected a renewed push for national unity. That optimism now appears misplaced. The leading candidates have shown little capacity — or willingness — to break free from entrenched partisan mindsets. Though they speak of unity and broader appeal, they retreat into political camps at critical moments.
Democratic Party (DP) candidate Lee Jae-myung remains the front-runner. The political disruption caused by last year’s martial law crisis created a surprising opportunity for his candidacy. He positioned himself as a centrist, even altering his campaign ribbon with a small red mark to signal cross-party appeal. Some hoped he would transcend factional politics. That hope is now fading.
A more troubling concern is the blurring of private interest and public duty. DP hardliners are reportedly pushing to revise laws that could impact Lee’s legal troubles, including the Criminal Procedure Act, the Constitutional Court Act, the Court Organization Act and the Public Official Election Act. Lee’s stance has been inconsistent. He has urged restraint, but also said that if the “judicial gun barrels” are aimed at the party, legal reforms are necessary.
These moves risk destabilizing the institutional foundations of Korean democracy. Although the party has since withdrawn extreme proposals — such as expanding the number of Supreme Court justices to 100 or allowing nonlawyers to serve — it appears more tactical than sincere. As Nanami Shiono wrote in "The Story of the Romans" (1992), the ability to subtly link public and private interests is a political skill. But in Lee’s case, the maneuvering appears too transparent to be mistaken for statesmanship.
![People Power Party presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo tours the birthplace of former first lady Yuk Young-soo in Okcheon, North Chungcheong, on May 25. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/05/29/92353d67-c904-4404-9d4b-108238c35c32.jpg)
People Power Party presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo tours the birthplace of former first lady Yuk Young-soo in Okcheon, North Chungcheong, on May 25. [NEWS1]
From a legal philosophy standpoint, it may be reasonable to suspend trials against a newly elected president to respect the voters’ decision. Expanding the Supreme Court to address caseload backlogs is also worth discussion. But passing laws to shield oneself from prosecution undermines justice. The idea of presiding over one’s own trial erodes the very concept of the rule of law. If Lee becomes president, any constitutional case involving insurrection will inevitably be viewed through a partisan lens. Judicial reform, if pursued, must be grounded in broad public consensus.
If Lee is at least performing the motions of reform, People Power Party candidate Kim Moon-soo has made no such gestures. He retained pro-Yoon floor leader Kweon Seong-dong, despite the controversy over an attempted last-minute candidate switch. He even defended Yoon Suk Yeol after the former president attended a film promoting election fraud conspiracy theories, saying, “It’s good to watch movies and meet people.”
Kim’s campaign continues to signal contradictory intentions. He appointed pro-Yoon Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun as a co-chair of his election committee, while simultaneously seeking cooperation from former Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon. His stance is neither independent nor courageous — merely an attempt to stay close to the pro-Yoon camp.
Kim’s pledges include reducing the number of lawmakers, abolishing immunity from arrest for legislators, and synchronizing the presidential and general elections in 2028. These ideas are notable, even refreshing. But the lingering shadow of Yoon Suk Yeol obscures them, complicating his push to unify with reformist Lee Jun-seok. Kim’s inability to sever ties with the hardline conservative base has become a defining limitation.
Lee Jun-seok, for his part, promised “overwhelming newness.” Once viewed as a disruptive force against entrenched political structures, he now seems to be turning inward. His wit and agility are being squandered on provocative and divisive rhetoric. A recent TV debate comment about women's bodies alienated even parts of his core base — young male voters — and suggested he is locked in a shrinking political echo chamber.
![Lee Jun-seok speaks to reporters after a campaign stop in Yeouido Park in western Seoul on May 28. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/05/29/a1965bba-a4e8-4302-9a07-7ce6e6216280.jpg)
Lee Jun-seok speaks to reporters after a campaign stop in Yeouido Park in western Seoul on May 28. [NEWS1]
“There is no birth without breaking the shell,” reads a line from "Demian" (1919), a novel by Hermann Hesse. But the sentence continues: “The bird flies to God. The name of the god is Abraxas.” In ancient belief systems of Greece and the Near East, Abraxas represented a divine being who encompassed both light and darkness, good and evil. True growth demands that leaders undergo a process of internal integration — one that embraces contradictions rather than avoiding them.
Without such a journey, they remain trapped in immaturity or in a self-isolating ideological bubble. A president who clings to an uncompromising base and refuses to evolve cannot help the nation grow. Such a leader will only bring misfortune — to the public, and to themselves.
Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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