Yoo Jong-pil: "Farmers do not blame the field, and flowers do not blame the wind..."

"A farmer does not blame the field, and a flower does not blame the wind. A tree survives by drawing water from where it stands. Every member of the ruling party, from the president to the rank-and-file, must emulate the attitude of the farmer and the flower, and the will of the tree."

This is what former Gwanak-gu Mayor Yoo Jong-pil, who served during the 5th and 6th local government terms, said to voters after losing in the 22nd general election.

Candidate Yoo also stated that a bird cannot fly only with its left wing. The government and ruling party have the responsibility to restore the wounded right wing and lead Korea’s soaring flight with balanced wingbeats of both left and right.

On the morning of the 22nd, Yoo shared his reflections on losing through social media (Facebook). He said, "It has already been about 40 days since the election. Walking around the neighborhood streets still feels awkward. If people don’t recognize me, I feel a little disappointed, and if they do recognize me and greet me, I sometimes hesitate momentarily, unsure how to respond."

He also confessed that living wisely as a defeated candidate is by no means easy, including how much to bow his head. He recalled being greatly embarrassed when an elderly stranger on the street, subway, or bus said, “I should have worked harder, I’m sorry.”

Furthermore, he drew attention by expressing his view that "Within the ruling party, there is controversy over the causes of failure. The reasons for success are simple, but there are a hundred reasons for failure. The clear fact is that the answer lies in finding the cause of failure within oneself, and I think we need to make efforts to align our thoughts with the world."