"The Current Democratic Party Infected with a Deadly Virus Called Ruinous Populism"
Criticism of Lee Jae-myung's Pledges Including Basic Income and Health Insurance Coverage for Hair Loss Treatment
Lee Sang-i, a professor at Jeju National University School of Medicine, has declared his departure from the Democratic Party of Korea. Photo by Professor Lee's Facebook capture.
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] Professor Lee Sang-yi of Jeju National University School of Medicine, who has strongly criticized Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, has declared his withdrawal from the Democratic Party. He is the figure who revealed that he was disciplined with an 8-month suspension of party membership last November for criticizing Lee's basic income pledge.
Professor Lee, a former Welfare State Vision Committee Chairperson of the Lee Nak-yeon former Democratic Party representative's primary campaign, posted on his Facebook on the 16th a post titled "The Reason I Decided to Leave the Democratic Party," stating, "The current Democratic Party has been infected with a fatal virus called ruinous populism but has become a zombie-like entity refusing treatment."
Professor Lee said, "I have decided to leave the Democratic Party, which has adopted the construction of a universal welfare state as its core policy since 2010," adding, "I feel conflicted because I do not know if I can return later or if this is the end. Nevertheless, I have resolved to leave the party."
He cited four main reasons for his departure: △ being captured by populist politics such as basic income and health insurance coverage for hair loss treatment △ violation of procedural democracy within the Democratic Party △ Lee Jae-myung's refusal to resign as a candidate △ lack of efforts within the Democratic Party toward a universal welfare state.
Professor Lee criticized Lee Jae-myung's basic income and health insurance coverage pledge for hair loss treatment as populist politics. He said, "No country has introduced basic income, nor has any country seriously considered it. The indiscriminate and uniform fiscal expenditure implied by basic income payments is not only unjust but also financially impossible to introduce and sustain," adding, "universal welfare deteriorates, and the welfare state loses sustainability."
He further viewed Lee's basic income pledge as a violation of procedural democracy because it was accepted within the party without any discussion or debate. Professor Lee said, "The Democratic Party's platform defines a universal welfare state, which is completely incompatible with basic income," adding, "The party leadership's act of quietly accepting the introduction of basic income, which violates the platform, through the back door without any discussion or debate is a case of undermining the 'principle of democracy.'"
Additionally, Professor Lee sharply criticized that despite numerous party members demanding Lee's resignation, nothing has changed. He said, "Not only I but many Democratic Party members have continuously demanded Lee Jae-myung's resignation due to procedural unfairness in the primary and his multiple disqualifications," raising his voice, "This is because the current Democratic Party is completely dominated by Lee Jae-myung's basic income populist faction and the 586 activist political cartel led by party leader Song Young-gil."
Finally, he said, "I have reached the conclusion that the only way to purge the Democratic Party's deep-rooted evils is from outside." Professor Lee lamented, "I raised my voice to operate surgery and reform the 'sick Democratic Party.' I demanded the abolition of basic income populism and the resignation of candidate Lee and party leader Song Young-gil, who are the centers of unfairness and evils. But no change occurred because Democratic Party politicians made no effort."
Lee Sang-i, a professor at Jeju National University School of Medicine, posted on his Facebook on the 16th, declaring his withdrawal from the Democratic Party of Korea and strongly criticizing Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party's presidential candidate. Photo by Professor Lee (Facebook capture)
Professor Lee said, "I was severely disciplined with an 8-month suspension of party membership on November 29 last year for criticizing Lee Jae-myung's basic income populism," asserting, "This absurd punishment was clearly pushed with the intention of 'Lee Jae-myung's Democratic Party' to expel me."
He continued, "There is nothing more to expect from the dead Democratic Party. Moreover, the possibility of Lee's resignation has almost disappeared," adding, "Therefore, I have reached the conclusion that the only way to purge the Democratic Party's deep-rooted evils such as basic income populism is from outside," and "I earnestly ask the awakened members of the Democratic Party not to leave the party but to lead the complete eradication and reconstruction of the Democratic Party's evils after the presidential election."
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