단상斷想

In the upcoming Democratic Party leadership election, 4-term Representative Chung Cheong-rae and 3-term Representative Park Chan-dae have registered as candidates and are competing in a two-way race. This primary, which will elect the first ruling party leader since the launch of the Lee Jae-myung government, is expected to be a crucial turning point in determining the party's future direction, and the war of nerves has been intense from the start. Jung Cheong-rae, who is accustomed to factional politics and straightforward remarks, and Park Chan-dae, a model student who treads carefully, have walked different paths and have completely different political colors, so much so that it is hard to believe they are the same age.

The two candidates are presenting different styles and political visions to win the choice of party members, but there are voices within the party that find Park Chan-dae's late surge unsettling, and others who are saying that the competition for the 'mere one-year' representative position is too fierce. I don't know where the word "mere one-year" originated, but considering the more than three years of suffering due to a president involved in all sorts of crimes that caused an insurrection, and the years of media manipulation that fabricated such a person to become a presidential candidate, the job of a mere one-year Democratic Party leader is an invaluable position that determines the future of the Republic of Korea. Park Chan-dae is the right person in that he can play a role of supporting and assisting the president as the ruling party leader during this one year, rather than checking him.

Some say that Chung Cheong-rae is a given from the start. Chung Cheong-rae's refreshing remarks and strong fighting spirit are certainly attractive, but looking at his past history, I am concerned and disappointed as a citizen and as a party member. Chung Cheong-rae's past words and actions, which maximized his personal desires with momentary stimulation and fleeting popularity in the process of impeaching the insurrectionists, are a concern and disappointment to the people, and Chung Cheong-rae is the very person who keeps adding strength to the Democratic Party's membership. The public, whose perspective on politicians should be one of checks and balances rather than will, is still tired. I hope the two candidates know that the public's view of politicians born in 1965 is still alive and vivid.

In 2015, Chung Cheong-rae received a one-year suspension of party membership from the Ethics 심판원 (Simpanwon - Tribunal) for his 'blackmail' remarks during his time with the New Politics Democratic Alliance, and he has also caused crises for the party with his excessive words and actions. This past history still weighs on him and there is a sense of crisis that it could affect the image of the entire party. In addition, his relationship with progressive YouTube channels, the controversial actions of his aides, his close relationship with influential YouTuber Kim Eo-jun, and his relationship with pro-Moon factions are being criticized by some. The key is that Chung Cheong-rae's wartime leadership can be seen as unilateral and dogmatic in human relationships, and that it is not suitable for changing the constitution of a crisis-ridden Korea.

While party members may want strong leadership in the current political climate, this does not necessarily have to be an old-fashioned approach that fosters confrontation and conflict. Rather, in order for the policies of the Lee Jae-myung government to be smoothly implemented, a Park Chan-dae style of leadership is needed that quietly and inconspicuously, but surely, ends the internal strife through reasonable debate and constructive alternatives.

Park Chan-dae's greatest strength is his wealth of practical experience accumulated as floor leader. Based on his in-depth understanding of parliamentary operations and policy promotion, his vision of advocating for a 'working party leader' is realistic and concrete. While Jung Chung-rae's combative and conspicuous, flashy words and actions may be helpful for party unity in the short term, they pose a significant risk of causing national fatigue and leading to the departure of the moderate class in the long term. Perhaps Jung Chung-rae is more likely to remain a symbol of an old-fashioned politician who wants to show off his colors, and is definitely not the image of a worker who will silently work for the Lee Jae-myung government for a year's term like 10 years. In the internal strife, the Legal Affairs Committee Chairman's position was perhaps the highlight of his career, and the past rampant gossip is disappointing to the Korean political world.

Park Chan-dae's philosophy, "If you want the president to work, the leader must work together," accurately grasps the essential role of the ruling party leader. Smooth communication and cooperation between the National Assembly and the Presidential Office are important for the successful state administration of the Lee Jae-myung government. In particular, with the local elections next year, stable party operation and systematic organization management are essential, and Park Chan-dae's capabilities are expected to shine even more in this area.

As a key figure in the pro-Lee Jae-myung faction, Park Chan-dae's trust relationship with President Lee Jae-myung is as good as proof of his qualifications as the leader of the ruling party. Politics is ultimately based on trust between people, and smooth communication between the president and the party leader is an essential condition for the success of state affairs. Park Chan-dae's calm and prudent personality may sometimes be seen as a lack of charisma, but it is actually a more advantageous factor for stable policy promotion and long-term party management. Jung Chung-rae's hard-line image may rather be an obstacle to cooperation with the presidential office. Above all, for the sake of the stability of the Lee Jae-myung government, the structure in which Jung Chung-rae, who had criticized Lee Jae-myung and his wife in the past, becomes the party leader cannot be anything more than a political regression to the past.

It is true that Chung Cheong-rae is leading in the current polls, but this does not necessarily mean it is the right choice. The fact that Chung Cheong-rae recorded a high vote rate of 62.77% in the Chungcheong primary is also just a reflection of the current political atmosphere, and is a separate issue from the party's long-term development direction. At a time when organized and systematic preparation is needed for next year's local elections and future general elections, Park Chan-dae's stable practical skills are needed. The image of watermelon Democratic Party lawmakers from the Moon Jae-in era that Chung Cheong-rae exudes is bound to be negative in order to win elections and maintain continuous power. Securing the support of the center and independent voters is essential, but what the people want is a thorough investigation of the insurrection, perfect punishment for those involved, and the dismantling of the prosecution. Chung Cheong-rae, who is quick to accelerate in this arduous process, cannot devote himself to it without temptation. A sparrow cannot simply pass by a mill.

The biggest difference between the two candidates lies in their political approach. Chung Chung-rae pursues a hard-line approach of 'breaking through with a vote,' while Park Chan-dae pursues a moderate approach of 'not giving up cooperation.' This difference is expected to be an important variable in the future operation of the National Assembly and the policy promotion process. Both candidates pledged to dismantle the Prosecutor's Office by September, but there is a difference in their approach. While Chung Chung-rae's 'breakthrough by vote' method can have an immediate effect, it can have the opposite effect because there is no guarantee that there will be no resentment or backroom deals. On the other hand, Park Chan-dae's cooperation-oriented approach may take longer, but it gives hope that it will enable more stable and sustainable reforms, but appropriate harmony is needed. Prosecutor reform is a key task of the Lee Jae-myung government, but this requires a national persuasion and consensus-building process. Rather than pushing ahead unreasonably, it is more important to present logical grounds step by step and persuade public opinion.

Jeong Cheong-rae is someone who opposed Lee Jae-myung's re-election as party leader. This fact alone shows that Jeong Cheong-rae's candidacy for party leader directly reflects the contradictory political situation within the current Democratic Party. In order to support the successful state administration of the Lee Jae-myung government, Park Chan-dae, who worked quietly and diligently during the hunger strike and insurrection, is the right person because he is stable and practical even if he is not flashy. Park Chan-dae's calm and prudent approach will increase the party's stability and will also be advantageous in securing the support of the moderates. We urge the Democratic Party members not to be simply swept away by the current emotions and atmosphere, but to make wise choices from a long-term perspective for the future of the party and the development of the country.

The future of Korea for the next 10 years, no, 100 years, depends on this one year. The desire for a leader to exercise strong leadership is different from the desire to become a leader myself. If Chung Cheong-rae didn't want to become president, it's not auspicious to want to take the place of the person he used to criticize. At sixty, you should know your duty.