Former leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, Lee Nak-yeon, announced his resignation from the party on the 11th. Having been a member of the Democratic Party for 24 years, Lee criticized, "The spirit, values, and dignity of Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun, which the Democratic Party once proudly upheld, have disappeared, and it has degenerated into a ‘one-man party’ and a ‘bulletproof party’ rife with violent and low-level behavior."
In a press conference, Lee explained why he decided to leave the party and what path he will take going forward. He said, "I am embarking on a new path to protect and realize the original spirit, values, and dignity that the current Democratic Party has lost," adding, "I will uphold those spirit, values, and dignity until the day I die." Lee appealed, "Politics cannot be left as it is. We must end the hateful and hateful two-party system and start a multi-party system based on compromise and coordination. I ask the people to help make the April general election the starting point."
Regarding his future plans, he said, "First, I will cooperate with comrades from the group of lawmakers ‘Principles and Common Sense,’ who have worked for innovation within the Democratic Party." Lee emphasized, "I am not doing this because I want to become something. I am going because I must, even if it is difficult."
The following is the full text of the press conference statement.
Respected citizens, members of the Democratic Party of Korea,
We have passed through a dark year in 2023 and welcomed the new year of 2024. I hope that in the new year, every household will have fewer worries about livelihood, and that peace will be restored in our country and the world. I wish you all a happy new year.
Today, I have decided to leave the Democratic Party, where I have been for 24 years, and embark on a new path to serve the Republic of Korea from a new position and in a new way. Many people have come and gone from the Democratic Party, but I have never left and have always protected it. Leaving the Democratic Party, which was like a ‘home of the heart’ to me, has been truly painful. I have pondered and hesitated for a long time.
However, the Democratic Party has already become a ‘strange home’ to long-time members including myself. The spirit, values, and dignity of Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun, which the Democratic Party once proudly upheld, have disappeared, and it has degenerated into a ‘one-man party’ and a ‘bulletproof party’ rife with violent and low-level behavior. Young lawmakers who could uphold and realize the spirit and values of the Democratic Party have consecutively given up running for office. Critics within the party and my supporters have been humiliated as ‘watermelons’ nationwide for two years and attacked as targets for ‘punishment.’ I hoped this cruel reality would improve, but it has only worsened. The spirit of inclusion and unity embodied by Kim Dae-jung has vanished.
I acknowledge that I bear some responsibility for the Democratic Party’s decline. In particular, nominating candidates for the 2021 Seoul and Busan mayoral by-elections by amending the party constitution was a grave mistake I made while serving as the Democratic Party leader. I could not shake off the shallow thought that mobilizing the public organizations of Seoul and Busan one year before the presidential election would help secure victory. Also, I am ashamed that I agreed to the Democratic Party leadership’s decision to allow satellite parties during the 2020 National Assembly elections while serving as co-chair of the joint election campaign committee.
I regret these mistakes and apologize to the people and party members. I ask for understanding from party members who, like my father, have devoted themselves for many years without compensation or recognition regarding my decision today. I am embarking on a new path to protect and realize the original spirit, values, and dignity that the current Democratic Party has lost. I will uphold those spirit, values, and dignity until the day I die.
What drove me to this decision above all was the crisis facing the Republic of Korea. I judged that we cannot ignore this national crisis.
Right now, South Korea is declining both internally and externally. The country has entered a dark age. The Yoon Seok-yeol administration is certain to be recorded as the worst government since democratization in 1987. The Yoon administration continues unprecedented regression and chaos in almost every area of state affairs. South Korea stands at a final crossroads: will it sink or recover as a sustainable nation?
At the heart of this national crisis is a political crisis. An incompetent government and corrupt politics are focused only on their own survival, deepening the national crisis without solving any national issues. This disastrous politics fails to alleviate the suffering of the people. It does not meet the public’s desire for peace on the Korean Peninsula.
The Yoon Seok-yeol government has nearly completed a ‘prosecutor’s republic.’ The Democratic Party cannot control the ‘prosecutorial rampage’ due to its own judicial risks. South Korea is trapped in the quagmire of ‘prosecutorial dictatorship’ and ‘bulletproof politics.’ The ruling and opposition parties are destroying the nation through this hostile symbiotic relationship.
As Confucius said, “Rotten wood cannot be carved,” the current politics cannot save South Korea. To rescue the country from crisis, we must change the political structure. Without breaking the current two-party dominant political structure, where incompetent and corrupt major parties engage in extreme struggles for survival, South Korea cannot sustain itself. Without ending the hateful and hateful bipolar politics, the people cannot live in peace. Bipolar politics that forces everything into black-and-white choices cannot cope with the era of diversity unfolding now.
Politics cannot be left as it is. It must change. I learned this clearly during over a year of study in the United States and Germany. The United States is trapped in a swamp of division within its two-party system. Germany avoids extreme politics through a multi-party system and overcomes division. We too must end the hateful and hateful two-party system and start a multi-party system based on compromise and coordination. I ask the people to help make the April general election the starting point.
Along with realizing a multi-party system, I hope to introduce a decentralized presidential system through constitutional amendment. The current presidential system allows unverified individuals to hold concentrated supreme power. We have painfully experienced the harm of this. We must reform the current system to thoroughly verify presidential candidates and disperse presidential power as much as possible. This will reduce risks like those we face now.
In particular, I am determined to realize ‘politics without privilege’ and ‘rule of law without sanctuary.’ We have confirmed that if politicians or anyone abuses privilege, national discipline collapses. Even the rule of law, which we have painstakingly established, is being trampled by power. The government intimidates the world with the prosecutor’s sword. The majority party shields itself with its seats, and the president shields with veto power. This is the reality of South Korea today. Let us correct this reality. Politics must relinquish all privileges and serve only the people and the nation. The rule of law must stand without sanctuary.
In the economy, we will support R&D and deregulation to help companies take on challenges and focus on nurturing future technology industries to continuously develop new growth engines. Welfare will be gradually provided by the state as essential basic services for daily life, ultimately developing into a ‘medium burden-medium welfare’ system. In culture, we will revive the principle of the Kim Dae-jung administration to support without interference and help spread the ‘second Korean Wave’ further. In diplomacy, we will center on the Korea-US alliance while establishing friendly relations with China, Japan, and Russia, and maintain stable inter-Korean relations to promote peace and prosperity.
Overall, we must form a government with the highest capabilities. We must embark on a ‘second founding’ to rebuild a collapsing South Korea. I want to approach new politics with this determination.
To walk that path, I will create a new political force that transcends extreme factional confrontations to solve national tasks and help the lives of the people. I will contribute to changing incompetent politics into competent politics, politics of struggle into politics of production, and immoral and corrupt politics into moral and clean politics.
Anyone who shares this will should join forces. I will first cooperate with comrades from the group of lawmakers ‘Principles and Common Sense,’ who have worked for innovation within the Democratic Party. I hope good and upright people from all fields will join this path. Especially, participation from youth and professionals is needed. I will help such people gain opportunities to participate in politics.
I was very poor but grew up enjoying many opportunities. I have received great benefits from the nation and society. I live with gratitude for that. It is time for me to return the benefits I have received from the nation and society to the people. I am not doing this because I want to become something. I am doing this as my duty.
South Korea is going wrong because of politics. Ignoring mistakes while knowing them is a cowardly sin. President Kim Dae-jung said, “A conscience that does not act is on the side of evil.” I will fight so that incompetent and corrupt politics no longer ruin South Korea.
That path is not an easy one. I am not going because it is easy, but because I must, even if it is difficult. I ask for the understanding and support of the people.
.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
