[Full Text] Lee Eon-ju Leaves People Power Party... "Yoon Administration Continues Hypocrisy Blaming Previous Regimes"

"The conclusion that finding hope is no longer possible"
"Privatization of power... destruction of the public system"

Former lawmaker Lee Eon-ju has left the People Power Party. He stated, "Although I am leaving the People Power Party, wherever I go, I will strive to engage in good politics for the country."

On the 18th, Lee announced his departure through his Facebook, saying, "I have come to the conclusion that it is difficult to find hope anymore in the People Power Party, which is becoming a prosecution party."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

He emphasized, "I joined the People Power Party's predecessor, the United Future Party, as part of centrist-conservative integration. But now, I regret it," adding, "Neither the values of conservatism, the flexibility of centrism, nor the public responsibility?none of the promises made to the people or those who participated in the integration at that time?have been upheld."

He continued, "Even after the regime change, the Yoon Seok-yeol administration and the People Power Party continue to blame the previous administration and engage in double standards," criticizing, "Now that they themselves have become the living power, they still only blame others."

Lee pointed out, "The reason people criticize activist groups is because they have become vested interests," and added, "Currently, the vested interests of the prosecution forces are more serious than those of activist groups in our society, yet the Yoon administration and the People Power Party do not intend to purge their own vested interests or improve themselves, instead continuing to call only for the purge of activist groups."

He raised his voice, saying, "Democracy is regressing, and the economy is failing to follow future paradigms," and stated, "I can no longer watch as the privatization of power runs rampant and the nation's public system is being destroyed." Lee said, "I will contribute to representing the will of the majority of sovereign citizens and checking the regime's arbitrary power to restore true 'fairness and common sense.'"

Below is the full statement of former lawmaker Lee Eon-ju on leaving the party.

As of today, I am leaving the People Power Party.

I thank the party members and supporters who have encouraged and cared for me, and I apologize for no longer being able to be with you. Although I am leaving the People Power Party, wherever I go, I will strive to engage in good politics for the country and politics that consider the future of the Republic of Korea.

I joined the United Future Party, the predecessor of the People Power Party, as part of centrist-conservative integration. Believing that the fallen conservatism after the impeachment must be restored for the country to stand upright, I thought it would be meaningful if I could play even a small role in helping conservatism change and stand properly in line with the times. However, now I regret it. I feel ashamed of my wrong judgment and actions. Neither the values of conservatism, the flexibility of centrism, nor the public responsibility?none of the promises made to the people or those who participated in the integration at that time?have been upheld.

Right after the impeachment, before and after the general election, whenever the emergency committee or party leader changed... the People Power Party (or its predecessor) bowed their heads, saying they would reflect and change, but nothing changed at all. On the contrary, having observed politics for nearly ten years, I see that the current People Power Party is worse than the Saenuri Party at the time of impeachment. The privatization of power by the president and his surroundings, state affairs manipulation, the president's control over power agencies and the ruling party's transformation into a party faction, the loss of public will by the president and ruling party and their divisive tactics, outdated far-right moves, authoritarian and uncommunicative governance, governance that ignores sovereign citizens and suppresses freedom, outdated economic policies and diplomatic strategies?all these have become far more serious than during the Park Geun-hye administration. Therefore, the betrayal felt by the people who supported conservatism with difficulty, hoping for change, is indescribable. I am also ashamed for not meeting such expectations.

The crisis of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration and the People Power Party was foreseen from the moment the Yoon Seok-yeol faction, which brutally slaughtered the politically defeated conservative political forces under the slogan of purging deep-rooted evils during the impeachment crisis, was forcibly supported as the conservative ruling power. It fell into inherent contradictions. Therefore, during the presidential election, I held a press conference expressing that Prosecutor Yoon Seok-yeol was unsuitable to become president for the following reasons: 1) Having spent his entire life in prosecution, he lacks state governance ability, and politics becomes prosecution- and judiciary-centered; 2) If allegations of corruption involving the chief remain unresolved, the foundation of 'fairness and common sense' he claims will collapse; 3) Supporting as president someone who led the destruction of conservatism will lead to a lame duck presidency and internal self-destruction as contradictions surface... My concerns have become reality.

I have criticized the hypocrisy of the previous administration and the vested interests of activist groups more than anyone in the People Power Party. However, this is not because I am on the side of the People Power Party or an enemy of the Democratic Party or activist groups. I have simply criticized what is wrong?hypocrisy and lies, double standards, vested interests, privatization of power, and violations of constitutional spirit. I hoped that these wrongs would be corrected and improved through regime change. Yet, even after the regime change, the Yoon administration and the People Power Party continue to blame the previous administration and practice double standards. Now that they themselves have become the living power, they still only blame others. The reason people criticize activist groups is that they have become vested interests, and although the vested interests of prosecution forces are more serious in our society, the Yoon administration and the People Power Party do not intend to purge their own vested interests or improve themselves, instead continuing to call only for the purge of activist groups.

A chronic disease of Korean politics is factionalism. However, the Yoon administration, rather than curing this factionalism, views society only through a binary worldview of 'my side' and 'the other side,' exacerbating conflicts through divisive tactics to gain political advantage. When problems arise in any area, instead of seeking fundamental solutions, they demonize specific groups or individuals and conduct witch hunts. Rather than mediating and resolving social conflicts, they incite the public by attacking specific groups, increasing conflicts. They thoroughly ignore and demonize the opposition party, treating it as the main enemy. Although it seems like something is resolved amid the chaos, in reality, nothing is solved. Incidents such as the cargo truck union crisis, the crackdown on top instructors, attacks on financial institutions amid high interest rates, the Lee Seon-gyun incident and the war on drugs, extreme diplomacy such as pro-US and anti-China/Russia stances, and excessive hostility toward North Korea escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula?all these reflect President Yoon's binary worldview, endangering national interests. The ruling power, which should mediate and ease conflicts, is instead exacerbating them.

President Yoon Seok-yeol came to power on the slogan of "fairness and common sense," but now "fairness and common sense" has become the most shameful phrase in the Republic of Korea. Despite the need to investigate external pressure in the investigation of Marine Corps Private Chae Sang-byeong's death, an absurd situation occurred where the head of the investigative team who claimed external pressure was investigated for insubordination. The hearts of parents who have tearfully sent or will send their sons to the military are broken and filled with anger, but due to obstruction by the People Power Party, neither a special prosecutor nor a national audit is proceeding.

Opposing the special prosecutor investigations into Kim Geon-hee and the 5 billion won club is a shameless act betraying public opinion. During the presidential election, the entire nation clearly remembers President Yoon saying that despite the first lady and mother-in-law profiting about 2.2 billion won from Deutsche Motors stock transactions, he only suffered a loss of 40 million won. Yet, there has been no explanation whatsoever. Although the overwhelming majority of the public demands a special prosecutor investigation into Kim Geon-hee, President Yoon exercised his veto power. This amounts to abusing presidential power for his spouse. Where else in the world does such privilege exist? Although the Yoon faction's sword of purging deep-rooted evils was excessive, the public understood and overlooked it because they thought he was a tough prosecutor who did not discriminate between sides. Now it turns out everyone was deceived by the claim that he "does not serve power." He has become a symbol of unfairness and lack of common sense by lying to defend his own family and abusing presidential veto power. The foundation of "fairness and common sense" in this administration has now collapsed.

It is truly regrettable to watch the conservative party, which was painstakingly rebuilt, collapse again due to the Yoon faction, which wielded the sword of purging deep-rooted evils. Many citizens already feel uneasy, fearing what might happen if the Yoon administration is left unchecked. Therefore, at the very least, for the People Power Party to survive, it must give the public some confidence that, even as the ruling party, it will play a role in checking the administration after the general election. That is why I strongly warned the party just before the Gangseo by-election that "if things continue like this, the general election will be a disaster." Yet, the People Power Party not only ignored my harsh words but also disciplined me.

After the by-election defeat, everyone unanimously argued that either the president should change or at least the party should distance itself from the president, but the response was the appointment of "Han Dong-hoon as emergency committee chairman," with whom they have long worked closely. This was a message that President Yoon and his wife would continue to do as they please. It heralded the birth of a prosecution party following the prosecution government. As expected, Han Dong-hoon, from his first words as chairman, called the special prosecutor law a bad law, showing loyalty to the interests of President Yoon and his wife.

I believe the era's task for the Republic of Korea is to eliminate "authoritarianism of strict obedience." Strict obedience is a chronic disease in our society that causes public officials and politicians to focus more on aligning with power than on their original roles for the people. The Itaewon disaster, the Jamboree failure, the Expo disgrace, the Osong underground passage disaster?all these stem from a culture of authoritarian strict obedience that prevents truthful reporting and principled action. While such authoritarian culture may have worked to some extent during the developmental dictatorship era, it is poison in an advanced economy where creativity and ideas are crucial. Therefore, eliminating the culture of authoritarian strict obedience is very important for the Korean economy to take a leap forward. However, the prosecution is the only thoroughly unified, strictly obedient organization remaining since liberation. Thus, unless the rule of the prosecution forces, symbolic of authoritarian strict obedience, ends, Korea will find it difficult to move forward.

I am part of Generation X. As the eldest sister of the so-called 789 generation, I feel a responsibility to represent the common sentiments of the 789 generation and for the future of Korea they will live in, and I cannot remain as things are. As a generation that has internalized freedom and democracy and pursues respect for individual life, our common sentiment is diametrically opposed to authoritarian strict obedience. Although I took pride in the gradual progress since democratization, regression has been repeated from some point onward. Democracy is regressing, and the economy is failing to follow future paradigms. I can no longer watch as the privatization of power runs rampant and the nation's public system is being destroyed. I cannot just watch the national fortune of Korea, which has enjoyed prosperity, be broken here. After experiencing the tragedy of presidential impeachment, how can we ask the people for votes when things have not improved but worsened? I held a faint hope and watched, but I have come to the conclusion that it is difficult to find hope anymore in the People Power Party, which is becoming the Yoon Seok-yeol-Kim Geon-hee party, a prosecution party. Rather, I want to contribute to representing the will of the majority of sovereign citizens and checking the regime's arbitrary power to restore true 'fairness and common sense.' Please watch over me.