Home > Opinion > Columns

We need political leaders who present a vision of their own

Published: 01 Dec. 2025, 00:03

Kim Sung-tak

The author is an editorial writer at the JoongAng Ilbo.

Few political terms in Korea are as awkward as the phrase “self-serving politics.” Everything a politician does is, by definition, political. The expression suggests that there is a separate category of politics done for someone else, a distinction that makes little sense on its face.

Rep. Jung Chung-rae of the Democratic Party speaks during a party caucus at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on Nov. 27. [YONHAP]

Over the years, however, the phrase has taken on a sharply negative meaning. It has often been used to describe lawmakers who do not fully align themselves with a president who has secured the immense power attached to the Korean presidency. Any hint of independence or deviation from the administration’s line has routinely been labeled “self-serving.”

The most prominent example dates back to the Park Geun-hye presidency. Park spoke of what she called “politics of betrayal,” remarking that some politicians weakened the presidency because they were too focused on “self-serving politics.” Her comments targeted then-Saenuri floor leader Yoo Seong-min, who had openly challenged the administration’s slogan of “welfare without tax increases” and called for a public debate on the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system. Park’s use of the term carried obvious personal frustration.

A similar dynamic emerged during the Moon Jae-in administration. In 2018, while Moon was abroad, his chief of staff, Im Jong-seok, visited the demilitarized zone with the defense minister, unification minister and the intelligence chief. Photos of the visit appeared on the Blue House homepage. Critics inside and outside the ruling bloc accused Im of using the high-profile trip to raise his own political standing, telling him to “step down if he wants to pursue self-serving politics.”

The pattern continued under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration. In 2023, People Power Party (PPP) Rep. Na Kyung-won, then vice chair of the Low Fertility and Aging Society Committee, proposed forgiving certain debt burdens as a way to encourage childbirth. The presidential office immediately objected, accusing her of using public office for her “own political benefit.” Many interpreted the clash as an effort by pro-Yoon lawmakers to block her from running for party leader. Under heavy criticism, Na ultimately withdrew her bid.

In early 2024, as the general election approached, pro-Yoon lawmakers again invoked the phrase while attacking interim leader Han Dong-hoon over how he handled the controversy involving then-first lady Kim Keon Hee’s acceptance of a luxury handbag. Some accused Han of using the post President Yoon had entrusted to him “for his own political brand.”

Ironically, the phrase once used against lawmakers who defied a powerful president is now increasingly directed at members of the Democratic Party. Rep. Jung Chung-rae, the party’s current leader, has become a central figure in this shift. Each time President Lee Jae Myung departs on an overseas trip, hardliners in the party highlight contentious issues such as judicial reform, sparking criticism from the presidential office that diplomatic achievements are being overshadowed. Rumors even circulated that Jung repeatedly asked aides whether he was being accused of “self-serving politics.”

In key parliamentary committees — the Legislation and Judiciary Committee among them — shouting matches have become routine. Lawmakers hoping to run in next year’s local elections spar aggressively with their rivals, producing short video clips tailored for their most ardent supporters. These confrontations lower the quality of committee proceedings, and self-focused politics is widely seen as a driving factor.

Yet the term does not have to carry a purely negative meaning. If elected officials are public servants, entrusted with improving the country’s long-term future, then presenting a clear and thoughtful vision is not self-serving at all. It is a core responsibility.

People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok speaks at a public rally for economic recovery and the rule of law near Chuncheon City Hall in Gangwon on Nov. 30. [YONHAP]

Korean political history provides examples of leaders who advanced coherent philosophies despite deep divisions along regional and ideological lines. The Park Chung Hee administration championed industrialization. The Roh Tae-woo government expanded diplomatic ties through its Nordpolitik approach to North Korea's allies after the Cold War. The Kim Dae-jung administration pursued the information age and the Sunshine Policy. The Kim Young-sam administration promoted historical reforms. The Roh Moo-hyun administration prioritized balanced national development. The Lee Jae Myung administration seeks what it calls “fair growth,” sharing both opportunities and outcomes more widely.

Nearly a year has passed since the imposition of emergency martial law shook the nation. Yet the leaders of both major parties appear consumed with political maneuvering rather than reflection. Jung’s push for a one-person-one-vote system in the next leadership election is criticized as a move to strengthen his chances of reappointment. The DP leadership is similarly preoccupied with preparing for local elections. PPP chair Jang Dong-hyeok has not even offered a clear apology for the crisis created by martial law.

Political parties cannot expect citizens to trust them if their leaders fail to articulate their own governing philosophies. At a time when division threatens to weaken the country’s future, party leaders should demonstrate what genuine political vision — not self-interested calculation — looks like.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.