[Insight & Opinion] Those Who Seek Power vs. Those Who Can Bear It

Politics Focused on Image Over Policy
Leadership Requires Restraint and Responsibility
Voters Must Develop Insight to Discern Philosophy and Conviction

"Only those who do not seek power are truly qualified to hold it." This old adage, originating from Plato's "Republic," feels all the more true when contrasted with the reality of Korean politics in 2025. As the presidential election approaches, both ruling and opposition party contenders are focused solely on seizing power, often relegating genuine political philosophy, policy, and a sense of responsibility to the background.

From a political economy perspective, politicians can be viewed as rational economic agents seeking to maximize their utility. The utility they pursue is concretized in the form of power, nominations, political survival, and intra-party dominance, while voters' ballots are regarded as resources to be acquired. Consequently, populist policies, emotional slogans, and provocative conflict frames become strategic tools for winning votes. This is why slogans such as "fairness," "generation encirclement theory," and "eradication of deep-rooted evils," which are repeatedly invoked in contemporary Korean politics, are perceived as mere electoral strategies rather than genuine solutions to the social issues facing the public.

Recently, major politicians from both the ruling and opposition parties in Korea have relied more on image than on policy. Within the People Power Party, factional strife between "pro-Yoon" and "anti-Yoon" groups has surfaced, making the securing of party leadership and the consolidation of power more urgent than the party's long-term vision. The Democratic Party, too, is preoccupied with internal tensions and rallying its base amid controversies over the party leader's legal risks and questions about alternative leadership. It is hardly surprising that politics is criticized for devolving into endless strife rather than serving as a forum for discussions about improving citizens' lives.

In this reality, we are compelled to ask what true leadership really is. A genuine leader should prioritize the welfare of society as a whole over personal political gain. However, the current political system produces politicians with the opposite disposition. The media, focused on profit, gives attention to those who make the most provocative statements, while political parties offer more opportunities to those with organizational and financial resources rather than to those with political philosophy. Those who do not covet power become structural underdogs in reality.

Ultimately, such practices distort democracy. The value of a vote is reduced to a tool for political strife rather than an expression of the public good, and voters, acting as consumers, evaluate pledges as if choosing the most advantageous political product. In this process, long-term policy visions essential for national survival are neglected, and genuine politics is pushed aside in favor of "political consumption" rather than "public deliberation." The result is repeated disappointment, cynicism, and political apathy among the public.

Yet, the key to changing this structure still lies with us, the voters. We must listen more to those who quietly speak of responsibility than to those who shout the loudest. Rather than focusing on what is promised, we need the discernment to examine the philosophy and conviction behind why it is being pursued. The gap between the symbolic "Candlelight Government" of the Moon Jae-in administration and the reality of its implementation, as well as the controversy over prosecution-centered appointments in the early days of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, were all the price we paid for failing to question the true motives behind political actions.

True leadership begins with deep reflection on how power should be used. Like Cincinnatus, the ancient Roman statesman who stepped forward when needed and then voluntarily stepped down, restraint in the exercise of power is the very essence of political dignity. Korean politics must now seek not those who "want" power, but those who "must" take on the responsibility. Even if their approval ratings are not high at the moment, supporting those who possess the philosophy and attitude to responsibly wield power is the way to restore the essence of politics.

It is time for us to ask not who will become president, but who truly deserves to be president. The criteria should no longer be approval ratings, name recognition, or populist pledges. The focus must be on how a candidate views power and whether they are prepared to shoulder its responsibilities. Voters must now remember the paradoxical truth that power is safest and most just when entrusted to those who do not desire it.

Kim Kyuil, Professor at Michigan State University, USA