[The Editors' Verdict] Where They Must Return

Doctors must accept it. The fact that this strike can never succeed. The timing of the infectious disease crisis may serve as a weapon to amplify the strike's power, but at the same time, it acts as a force that weakens the momentum leading to stronger struggles. Doctors' strikes have always conflicted between the effectiveness of the struggle and public opinion trends, eventually fading away. The most realistic alternative doctors can choose is to pretend to concede to the expansion of medical school quotas while at least blocking the coverage of herbal medicine, but it is doubtful whether there is such a strategist within the medical community. Despite several strikes, doctors are almost the only interest group with no successful experience in this regard.

Prosecutors must accept it. The reality that prosecutorial reform cannot be stopped. The judgment that simply chasing out the icon of reform would suffice led to the appointment of a minister with greater ambitions who is meddling in real estate policy, and the battle ended around this point. Soon after the regular personnel reshuffle, mass resignations or rebellious collective actions will not be much help in going against the flow.

Jeon Gwang-hoon and his followers must accept it. The order that this time they cannot win within the church. About 9,500 police officers who were deployed to the Gwanghwamun rallies are now under investigation. You, who have not only caused enormous inspection and treatment costs but also provided a pretext for the resurgence of infectious diseases, have no right to complain even if called a social evil. There is no value or reason for a religion that has become a social evil to exist within the community. It is much easier for this government to deal with the deviation of some churches, which do not have the support of the entire denomination, than to handle the groups of doctors and prosecutors.

The public must accept it. The truth that apartment prices will never fall. If you wonder whether the real estate policies of this government, which seem to be forcefully enforced, will really control housing prices, you can refer to the case of a presidential aide who left the Blue House while holding onto two apartments in Gangnam. The apartment you sold because you could no longer bear the increasing taxes will become the property of someone like that aide and turn into a more expensive asset.

The reason doctors' strikes fail every time is not only because their arguments lack persuasiveness. It is also not because they did not strike harder. It is because they have always kept silent about systems unrelated to their interests but causing enormous harm to public health. The medical community is the most powerful expert group capable of controlling the reckless actions of health authorities. In a society where the public does not trust doctors' claims, the Ministry of Health and Welfare's missteps cannot be controlled. Doctors must immediately return to their clinics and negotiation tables.

Prosecutors must leave politics and return to their roles as legal professionals. Prosecutorial reform has gained considerable public support and has sufficient justification. The only option is to accept the trend of the times and offer constructive opinions on detailed plans that may harm public interests. The role of checking government autocracy in policy-making and pressuring for the reflection of legitimate alternatives belongs to the media. This is not collusion between prosecutors and the press.

Religious people must return to their communities. Although late, cooperating with quarantine activities and suspending in-person worship is the only way out. Contemporary Christianity does not have the luxury to waste time on this. Congregants who have experienced online sermons by the country's top pastors from their living rooms are realizing the level of their local church pastors. This phenomenon, closely watched by many experts, will be a significant change Christianity will experience in the post-COVID era.

Real estate. It is something that does not move, so there is no place to return to. Piecemeal regulations have only increased the market's resistance and resulted in filling the hypocrites' pockets. The failure of real estate policy not only determines the fate of the regime but can bring about the destruction of all of us. Therefore, sending the policymakers back to their original positions is a much more effective alternative. The current ruling party was more impressive when it was in the opposition.

Shin Beom-su, Head of Social Affairs Division