'Jeong Du-eon, Unfulfilled Dream'... Unpublished Handwritten Manuscript Memoir

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghyun Choi] "He did not waver once he had a conviction." (Park Hyung-jun, Mayor of Busan)

"He was the older brother who preferred the expression ‘This is singer Jeong Du-eon.’" (Nam Kyung-pil, former Governor of Gyeonggi Province)

On the 2nd anniversary of the late former lawmaker Jeong Du-eon, a memoir has been published. The book is titled Jeong Du-eon, The Unfulfilled Dream. It contains previously unpublished handwritten manuscripts released for the first time since his passing, as well as the life and political philosophy of politician Jeong Du-eon, and memorial writings from various figures.

So Jong-seop, former editor-in-chief of Sisa Journal who compiled the memoir, described Jeong Du-eon as a "politician of common sense and pragmatism." Jeong Du-eon held a political philosophy that problems should be solved based on reality rather than being mired in ideological debates such as ‘native Japanese collaborators’ or ‘pro-North Korean leftists.’

The newly revealed unpublished manuscript also offers insight into his thoughts on the decentralization of presidential power. Jeong Du-eon stated, "The highest authority should not fear sharing power. Looking at the so-called ‘87 system’ era, only Kim Young-sam and Roh Moo-hyun were exceptions, while other presidents, especially President Lee Myung-bak, seemed very wary of sharing power. My long-held belief is that ‘power grows when shared and shrinks when grasped tightly.’"

The evaluations of Jeong Du-eon by 21 figures from various fields generally summarize him as "someone who speaks his mind" and "a person who loves music." Although Jeong Du-eon was a key figure in the birth of the MB administration, he was a principled politician who clashed with the regime’s power brokers and retreated to the political sidelines. After retiring from politics in November 2016 following the Park Geun-hye administration’s state affairs manipulation scandal, he mainly engaged in broadcasting activities and continued to offer candid critiques of Korean politics.

Jeong Du-eon was also a passionate singer who released a 4th album registered with the Singers Association. Nam Kyung-pil, former Governor of Gyeonggi Province, shared an anecdote in the memoir regarding the KBS union’s statement opposing Jeong Du-eon’s appearance on the music program Gayo Stage. At the time, Jeong Du-eon reportedly complained, "The problem isn’t having a politician appear, but why did they let a singer with no vocal skills perform? That really pisses me off!" Everyone present at that moment could not hold back their laughter. (Written by Jeong Du-eon and 21 others, compiled by So Jong-seop / Blue Ebooks Media)