Kim Dong-yeon and Kim Kyung-soo Emphasize the Need for Reforming the Winner-Takes-All Political Structure for National Unity
Regarding the issue of national unity, the presidential primary candidates of the Democratic Party of Korea presented a range of solutions. Former Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung emphasized "mutual respect and compromise."
At the Democratic Party's 21st presidential primary debate, hosted by TV Chosun on the 25th, Lee highlighted the severity of political conflict in Korean society and stressed that the next president must address this issue.
He diagnosed the level of conflict in society as serious. Lee said, "When I came to the National Assembly, I noticed that lawmakers do not speak to each other if they are on opposing sides. I don't understand why it has to be that way." He continued, "It is the essential responsibility of the president. While the word 'president' can mean ruler or governor, in reality, it also means the person responsible for uniting the people. The president must coordinate interests so that national opinion does not become divided, and by bringing people together, both the country can develop and individuals can truly enjoy opportunities."
On the issue of political retaliation, Lee stated firmly, "That should never happen." He explained, "It's not because I like people, but because there is so much we have to do in a short period of time that we cannot afford to waste time on such matters." He also remarked, "I am happy when people are happy because of politics," but pointed out, "There is a lot of suspicion about this, and even when promises are made, people do not believe them." He added, "No matter how much I promise not to engage in political retaliation, people do not believe my words and continue to have doubts."
Regarding personnel policy, he said, "The people are struggling, the economy is deteriorating, and peace is under threat, so this is a time when we must unite our strength." He added, "We must go beyond minor differences, recognize and respect each other, and compromise."
Former South Gyeongsang Province Governor Kim Kyung-soo emphasized the need for fundamental political reform to address the issue of unity in Korean society. He said, "The biggest reason is that politics operates under a winner-takes-all system. Politicians always feel a sense of crisis that if they do not seize power this time, they will be completely ruined politically. Unless we change that political structure itself, it will be difficult to solve this problem." He continued, "We need to change the winner-takes-all system, including the electoral system, and ensure that dialogue between the ruling and opposition parties takes place in politics and the National Assembly on any issue." However, he made it clear that coexistence with "forces of rebellion" would be difficult.
Kim stated, "It is absurd to claim that legally punishing forces of rebellion amounts to political retaliation."
Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon said, "Because the current constitution and electoral system are structured as winner-takes-all and turn opponents into life-or-death adversaries, constitutional revision and electoral law reform are absolutely necessary." In particular, regarding the approach, he also called for a change in the Democratic Party's own attitude before expecting changes from the other side. Kim stressed, "Instead of telling the other side to pursue unity, we should first reflect on ourselves, let go of vested interests, and demonstrate sincerity. It is important to build trust as an asset."
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