뉴욕 컬럼

The political circles are abuzz with the recent poll results showing that President Lee Jae-myung's approval rating for state affairs has fallen below his disapproval rating for the first time since his inauguration. Some media outlets are defining this as a crisis for the administration, and the opposition party claims it is the beginning of public disaffection. On the other hand, the ruling party interprets it as a complex result of the Election Commission controversy, internal party conflicts, and organized political attacks.

What is clear is that this decline in approval ratings is not just a change in numbers. In particular, the significant drop among those in their 50s, who have been classified as a core support base for the Democratic Party, has considerable political implications. However, more important than the approval rating itself is examining why this phenomenon occurred. The approval rating is merely a result. If we don't see the cause, we cannot solve the problem.

There are three main factors behind the current political turmoil. First is the internal power struggle within the Democratic Party, second is the distrust triggered by the poor management of the Election Commission, and third is the frame of election fraud and political agitation by the far-right camp that amplifies these issues. However, we should not stop here. Criticizing politicians alone will not solve the problem. The attitude of the public, who are swayed by agitation, is just as important as the agitating politicians in determining the level of democracy.

The biggest enemy of the ruling party may not be external but internal.

At a time when the administration has just begun, the most important thing is stability in state affairs. The people have granted power through elections, and the government must take responsibility for people's livelihoods and the economy based on that power. However, looking at the Democratic Party internally recently, the power struggle within the party seems to be receiving more attention than state administration. The ruling party is an organization that should support the success of the president. If the president fails, the administration ultimately fails, and the party also fails. However, in reality, this is often not the case. This is because power always moves towards the future. As soon as the administration is launched, some politicians already begin to calculate the next power structure and their influence within the party.

In particular, some of the pro-Moon political forces formed during the Moon Jae-in administration still hold considerable influence within the party. Of course, not everyone under the name of 'pro-Moon' thinks alike. However, it is clear that there are movements that prioritize their political standing and influence over the success of the Lee Jae-myung administration. The competition between forces unwilling to relinquish party leadership even after creating a government and those seeking to become the new center of power inevitably leads to conflict. The problem arises when this conflict manifests as factional competition rather than policy competition. From the public's perspective, the Democratic Party then appears not as a party discussing public welfare, but as a group squabbling over positions.

Ultimately, no matter how hard the president works, conflicts arising within the party become a burden on the president. The media reports on conflict rather than policy, and the public sees division before achievement. It may be a natural consequence that approval ratings falter.

Distrust created by the incompetence and irresponsibility of the National Election Commission

Recent controversies surrounding the National Election Commission are also cited as a significant factor behind the decline in approval ratings. Elections are the foundation of democracy. The public trusts election results, which is why even the losing side accepts the outcome. Therefore, the institution managing elections must operate under stricter standards than anyone else. However, the various problems recently revealed about the NEC have caused considerable disappointment among the public. Issues such as some employees' dereliction of duty, controversies over poor management, and repeated administrative errors have led the NEC to erode its own credibility. The problem does not end there.

The NEC's mistakes must certainly be criticized. However, the NEC's poor operation and electoral fraud are completely different issues. Administrative incompetence and systematic manipulation must be distinguished. Yet, some political forces are intentionally blurring that distinction.

The incitement structure of the Taegeukgi forces and far-right politics

The far-right, represented by the Taegeukgi forces, has long used the theory of electoral fraud as a political driving force.

When defeated in an election, it is democracy to analyze the causes of defeat and respect the choice of the people. However, some far-right forces do not accept the election results themselves. The logic that if they win, it is a fair election, and if they lose, it is a fraudulent election, is repeated. This attitude is no different from denying democracy.

The biggest problem with the fraudulent election theory is that it demands belief rather than evidence. It stimulates emotions and anger rather than verification and facts. In reality, unproven claims are repeated through YouTube and social media, consumed like a political faith. In this process, some pro-American far-right forces attribute all problems in Korean politics to a specific camp, reproducing Cold War thinking. Ideological hostility takes precedence over Korea's national interest, and camp logic takes precedence over policy. What is important to them is not the development of the nation, but the maintenance of hatred for hostile forces. This is because hatred is necessary to rally supporters.

However, the bigger problem is not those who instigate, but those who are instigated.

Here we must ask an uncomfortable question. Is all the responsibility really on politicians alone? Politicians originally move to gain votes. The media makes sensational reports to attract attention. YouTubers tell extreme stories for views. The problem is the people who consume it. Instigation only succeeds when there are people who accept it.

The reason fake news continues to be created is that there are people who believe it. The reason conspiracy theories are repeated is that there are people who share them. In a democratic society, the people are both victims and responsible agents.

We must remember the Yoon Suk-yeol administration. At that time, countless citizens were swept away by political instigation. Some believed that Yoon Suk-yeol was a savior who would solve all problems, and others were convinced that the opposing camp would ruin the country. What was the result? Reality was different from the claims of the instigators.

The economy was complex, diplomacy was difficult, and political conflicts continued. The grand slogans of the election were mostly revised or disappeared in the face of reality. However, the politicians who incited them did not take much responsibility. The people bore the responsibility. The people bore the burden of prices, and the people had to endure the economic recession.

Yet, many people repeat the same mistakes. Rather than verifying the words of politicians, they only listen to what they want to believe. They react to emotions rather than facts. They justify what their side does and get angry at what the opposing side does. As long as this attitude continues, the level of Korean politics can never improve.

The level of politicians ultimately does not exceed the level of the people.

Politics resembles the people. If voters evaluate policies, politicians propose policies. If voters react to incitement, politicians choose incitement. The reason politicians keep using extreme language is because it is effective. The reason conspiracy theories do not disappear is because there are people who believe them. Before blaming politicians for their low standards, the people themselves need to reflect on their political consciousness.

Democracy is not simply a system of voting. Even after elections, the attitude of citizens who can monitor power, verify the media, and even criticize the politicians they support sustains democracy. However, in Korean society, supporting politicians often degenerates into something like cheering for a sports team. If you point out a mistake, you become a traitor, and if you criticize, you are treated as an enemy. In such a culture, no government can succeed.

What is needed now is not factionalism, but civic consciousness.

Whether the Lee Jae-myung administration will succeed or fail is yet unknown. However, what is clear is that the current crisis is not a personal crisis for the president. It is a crisis created by the power struggles within the Democratic Party, the incompetence and negligence of the National Election Commission, the incitement of election fraud by the far-right, and a political culture that uncritically consumes it. If the government fails, the people suffer. If the government succeeds, the people benefit. Therefore, the people are not spectators. It is not enough to criticize the incitement of politicians. We must also ask why such incitement repeatedly succeeds.

What is needed for South Korea to develop into a true democratic nation is not the victory of a specific politician. Regardless of which administration is in power, it is a mature civic consciousness that can verify facts, be wary of falsehoods, and even criticize its own side. This was true during the Yoon Suk-yeol administration and remains true now. Politicians can change. Governments can also change. However, if the people do not change, politics will not change either. Ultimately, the final responsibility for democracy rests with the people.

There will always be those who try to undermine the president. There will be politicians seeking power, and agitators spreading conspiracy theories. However, whether they can succeed ultimately depends on how calmly and wisely the people make their judgments. It is not a specific politician who determines the future of South Korea. It is a civic consciousness that prioritizes facts over incitement, reason over hatred, and the nation over factions. That is the foundation of a democracy more powerful than any government, and the most important challenge for Korean politics to overcome.