[The Editors' Verdict] Hoping for a New Political Master

Imokhee, Asia Economy Senior Correspondent

Former People Power Party Emergency Committee Chairman Kim Jong-in is regarded as one of the top masters in the political arena. He served five terms in the National Assembly solely through proportional representation. He contributed to regime changes across party lines. In last month's by-elections for the Seoul and Busan mayoral offices, he led the opposition party to a sweeping victory. Looking at his background, his expertise lies more in economics than politics. He earned a Ph.D. in economics from the University of M?nster in Germany and served as a professor at Sogang University for many years.

The economic development under authoritarian regimes was partly influenced by the military background of those in power. They entrusted areas they were unfamiliar with to trusted experts. Economics was one such area. The president had a private economics tutor. Kim also belonged to that category. However, unlike the then prevailing U.S.-centric approach, he studied in Europe. Although called part of the Sogang School, his approach differed from former Prime Minister Nam Duck-woo. Nam was an advocate of compressed growth represented by conglomerates, while Kim was interested in redistribution.

Since the mid-1970s, Kim championed the introduction of the National Health Insurance system and took the lead in curbing real estate speculation by conglomerates. After entering politics, he spearheaded the inclusion of economic democratization provisions in the 1987 Constitution. Despite dark episodes such as his participation in the National Security Planning Committee under the 1980 military regime and imprisonment for bribery in 1993, he continued to exert influence, grounded in his economic philosophy. The shadow of rapid growth remains a challenge for both progressives and conservatives.

Undisputedly, the top three political masters are Kim Young-sam, Kim Dae-jung, and Kim Jong-pil?the "Three Kims." It is unlikely that a comparable master will emerge anytime soon. Changes in political culture do not nurture such figures. Excluding the Three Kims, former lawmaker Kim Yoon-hwan is considered a master. His pen name was Heoju (虛舟). Like filling an empty boat, he led bipartisan compromise and negotiation during the Fifth and Sixth Republics. He held the regime organization in one hand and political funds in the other. Kim Jong-in, however, has neither organization nor political funds. Yet, he is called a political master. He is skilled at reading the entire board and framing the narrative. He appropriately uses principled vocabulary and sharp criticism. Although he stepped down as the People Power Party emergency committee chairman, he remains in the spotlight. There is widespread speculation that he is planning a political realignment that spans both ruling and opposition parties.

When meeting politicians, few express fondness for Kim Jong-in. When asked to sum him up in one word, a close elder said, "He is very ambitious." Despite his age, rumors persist that he harbors presidential aspirations. It is said he aims to expand his influence through constitutional reform toward a parliamentary system. The incompetence of ruling and opposition parties is making the old figure Kim Jong-in a political master. The courting of former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl reflects this. The People Power Party emphasizes that a presidential bid is difficult without money and organization. Money and organization are indispensable conditions. However, a leader of the new era must first understand the younger generation in their 20s and 30s.

I hope next year's presidential election becomes a stage where political masters who shine on their own face off. I encourage presidential candidates, including Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung, former Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon, and former Prosecutor General Yoon, not to be obsessed with immediate approval ratings but to calmly consider the bigger picture. The entrenched polarization, severe economic inequality, especially in the post-COVID-19 era, and the yearning for transformation have never been more ripe. Empty talk of fairness and unity will not work. Now, sincerity is key. Those who properly read this spirit of the times and boldly advance will rise as political masters. I hope that after next year's election, we do not see Kim Jong-in boast, "I have made another president."

Lee Mok-hee, Asia Economy Senior Specialist