[COVID-19 Transformation] National Assembly Chooses 'Practical Politics' Over Conflict: "Ease Regulations and Consider the Post-Hanmi Alliance"

[Asia Economy Reporters Lee Ji-eun, Kim Hye-min, Lim Cheol-young] The society after the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) can never be the same as the society before. A 'tsunami' of great transformation is inevitable across all fields including society, economy, national defense, and diplomacy. In the face of these changes in the times, what should politics do? Experts advise that the new era's 'pragmatic' politics is to pursue people's livelihood instead of ideology, and reform instead of regulation.

Political commentator Park Sang-byeong said in a phone interview with Asia Economy on the 25th, "Pragmatic politics is about taking care of the safety and livelihood of the people," adding, "A pragmatic spirit is needed that joins hands with any position or any left-right line if it benefits the people."

So far, it has been difficult to find pragmatism in our politics. Park pointed out that this is because the ruling and opposition parties have been solely focused on 'confrontational politics' over votes. He said, "The ruling party tries to push through what gains votes, and the opposition party opposes it for that reason. If it is truly necessary, whether left or right, ruling or opposition, they should take the lead, but the harm of the two-party system comes from this."

There is also a call for pragmatic, de-ideologized, and non-partisan politics in the field of diplomacy and security. Professor Jung Dae-jin of Ajou University’s Institute for Unification Studies advised, "It is necessary to conduct diplomacy based on national interest and values, not on progressivism or conservatism, nor on traditional allies and partners," adding, "It is desirable for national consensus and social dialogue to consider a 'post-Hanmi alliance' pragmatically rather than being anti-American just because of traditional progressivism." He noted, "In a country based on the Korea-US alliance, suddenly changing diplomatic direction in the name of pragmatism because it does not fit national interest and values can cause a loss of 'practical benefits' in an instant, so it is not an easy task," but also diagnosed, "From a pragmatic perspective, if the US views the alliance only as an interest and leads the way to leave the alliance first, clinging to ideology and bias while shouting for the Korea-US alliance could cause a loss of national interest."

Economic experts raised the need for deregulation. Professor Kang Sung-jin of Korea University’s Department of Economics said, "With the Democratic Party holding 177 seats, it will be able to achieve a large-scale deregulation that conservative governments in the past could not," adding, "The economy, which has been stagnant due to COVID-19, can be revitalized through deregulation." A representative example is whether to allow telemedicine, which has gained attention due to COVID-19. Professor Kang said, "If the telemedicine market is opened, it alone can create a trillion-won market and contribute to economic revitalization," and predicted, "The opposition party supports allowing telemedicine, and since President Moon also emphasized the necessity of non-face-to-face medical care, this is a point where cooperation between the ruling and opposition parties can be achieved."

Professor Sung Tae-yoon of Yonsei University’s Department of Economics emphasized, "Until now, the National Assembly has been led according to party interests, but from the 21st National Assembly, it is the right direction of pragmatic politics to lead according to economic principles," stressing that economic principles are pragmatism. He pointed out that the conflicting positions between the ruling and opposition parties over emergency disaster relief funds after COVID-19 were also conflicts based on interests. Professor Sung said, "There was already a consensus to 'give money to the people,' but the discussion on disaster relief funds came up before the general election, causing confrontation between the ruling and opposition parties," adding, "Now that the election is over, pragmatic discussions on ways to provide support funds to the people should be held."

Jeong Gi-seop, chairman of the Kaesong Industrial Complex Enterprises Association, requested that the ruling and opposition parties help reopen the Kaesong Industrial Complex based on pragmatic politics. He emphasized, "Even the Democratic Party, called progressive, is close to conservative by global standards. There is not much difference in political tendencies between the ruling and opposition parties, but they have fought because of ideology," adding, "The reopening of the Kaesong Industrial Complex will be the starting point of new pragmatic politics that opens a path for small and medium-sized enterprises whose growth engines have been blocked."