[Opinion] The Democratic Party Must Embrace Opposing Forces to Survive

Sketch of Korean Political Party Reform ① The Democratic Party of Korea

The lifeblood of democratic politics is political parties, but few places fail to uphold the principles of democracy as much as Korean political parties do. Compared to the heightened political awareness of the people, party democracy and competency levels have declined and regressed significantly. The past rhetoric of overcoming the ‘Three Kims Politics’ has become meaningless, and instead, there are even bold claims that the politics of that era should be inherited. Currently, it is difficult to find anything legally or politically normal in the principles of democracy, party management methods, or party culture within Korean party politics.

There are no major elections for the time being. It would be good if this period becomes a time for the Democratic Party of Korea, People Power Party, Justice Party, and other parties to redefine themselves, and I would like to sketch the direction of such reforms. Since the problems of the main opposition party, the Democratic Party, are more serious than those of the ruling People Power Party that won the election, it would be good to first look into the inner workings of the Democratic Party as the first part of changes in Korean party politics.

Since the problems of the main opposition party, the Democratic Party, are more serious than those of the ruling People Power Party that won the election, I will first examine the inner workings of the Democratic Party.

The Democratic Party is currently embroiled in a blame game over the defeat in the presidential and local elections. The core of the debate is whether the loss was due to the many flaws of the candidate Lee Jae-myung or the failures of the Moon Jae-in administration. Both could be right or wrong, but depending on the political factions within the party, different choices can be reasonably made. The problem is that the conflict between the Lee Jae-myung faction and the Lee Nak-yeon faction from the presidential primary is still ongoing, causing great disappointment among supporters. The party still shows signs of factional politics at the level of cliques. Now is the time to fundamentally build a foundation to show a vision as the main opposition party, an alternative, and a party capable of governance.

The Democratic Party must engage in honest and straightforward politics. The upcoming party convention in August should not be a party event that ignores or postpones the party’s fundamental problems but rather an event where strong debates and clashes occur over the direction the party should take. At least once, the boundaries between each faction and force should be clearly defined to the extent that a split crisis could arise. The debate over responsibility for the presidential election defeat is not merely a fight between factions or political forces but reflects the political positions currently existing within the Democratic Party. The most desirable outcome is either a friendly two-party confrontation or the emergence of a third position. Avoiding the issues at hand is not a political responsibility to party members, supporters, and the public as a public party.

There have been two strong opposition eras in Korean constitutional history. During the Park Chung-hee and Chun Doo-hwan military regimes, the era of factional competition between the DJ and YS factions, known as the ‘Two Kims Politics,’ and later, as a conservative opposition party, the competition between the pro-Lee Myung-bak and pro-Park Geun-hye factions within the Grand National Party were seen by the public as future-oriented alternative opposition parties. The Democratic Party needs the honesty and effort to follow that path. Even if it is a confrontation between the so-called pro-Lee Jae-myung and pro-Moon Jae-in factions, a binary confrontation leading to the destruction of one side is less desirable than a new compromise and the creation of a third political force within the party.

For the Democratic Party to make a rapid transition as an alternative party, a revolutionary change is also needed in its attitude toward external opposition forces and the coexistence methods among different internal factions. The Democratic Party must learn to embrace opposition forces outside the party. Without embracing those who supported candidate Yoon Seok-youl in the presidential election and those who did not support the Democratic Party in the local elections, it can never become a governing opposition party. Maintaining a large opposition party without courting and expanding the base among those who did not support it will only result in a closed party with a large gate and high walls. Like a person who is gentle outwardly but strong inwardly, the Democratic Party must fully open itself to the public and begin reconstructing political leadership with strong internal cohesion. The August party convention should be used as the first stage for this.

Park Sang-cheol, Professor at Kyonggi University Graduate School of Political Studies (Ph.D. in Law)