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President Lee Jae Myung posted a lengthy message ahead of the Democratic Party of Korea's Aug. 17 national convention, stressing the ruling party's political responsibility and declaring that "the lives of the people rest in our hands."
Lee published the post Friday on his X account, formerly Twitter. Titled "The Ruling Party, the Opposition, and Political Responsibility," the message ran to roughly 1,500 characters.
Citing the literal meaning of the party's Korean name — "a group that acts together" — Lee said the ruling party, having already won power, must use its formal authority to act rather than merely advocate, and must bear full responsibility for the nation's future and the lives of all its citizens.
"For the ruling party, what matters is the ability and track record to exercise responsibility with the power it has been given, along with inclusion and unity," he said. He then quoted the philosopher Max Weber, identifying three qualities a politician must possess: passion for a cause — an idea — rather than personal gain; an unlimited sense of responsibility for the consequences of one's actions; and a sense of balance between reality and ideals.
Lee said a realist without ideals becomes an opportunist chasing only immediate gain, while an idealist without a grip on reality becomes an incompetent demagogue focused on division rather than solutions. "If politics ignores the constraints of reality and the limits of human beings and clings only to ideals, it falls into dogmatism and factionalism," he said. "If it loses its ideals, it degenerates into mere power preservation. To change reality, one must not forget one's values and direction — but paradoxically, a cool-headed sense of balance that looks at reality squarely is essential."
"If the opposition is closer to an army and a spear, the ruling party is closer to farming and a vessel," he said, adding that the ruling party must not abandon its convictions but should focus more on "the language of responsibility" than the language of conviction.
While the opposition can fight by negating the ruling party, the ruling party bears the responsibility to solve real problems, he added. "Because the outcomes of policy decisions and their implementation directly affect people's lives, the ruling party must focus not on slogans or assertions but on execution guided by a cool-headed sense of balance."
He also urged the party to keep its focus on the lives of all citizens and to maintain constant dialogue with the opposition.
"The ruling party's passion must be directed not at 'our camp' but at 'the people as a whole,'" Lee said. "It must play the role of a 'big tent' — minimizing conflict and resistance through constant dialogue and communication rather than confrontation and exclusion."
"Having already taken power with the people's mandate, we must agonize with the most burning passion directed at the public good, not private interest — harmonizing reality and ideals with the coolest sense of balance, overcoming obstacles and opposition, and bearing unlimited responsibility for the results," he said.
He went on to say, "Right now, the fate of this country and the lives of 52 million people rest in our hands," calling on the party to "see further, wider and bigger, and move forward together with more of the people."
Observers say Lee's unusually long post reflects growing concern about factional tensions within the Democratic Party ahead of the Aug. 17 convention, as an intensifying behind-the-scenes leadership contest between party leader Jung Chung-rae and Prime Minister Kim Min-seok has shown signs of escalating into an open inter-faction conflict. The post is widely read as a renewed appeal to the party to embrace its role as the governing force and take responsibility for running the country.
ygmoon@heraldcorp.com
