Lee Jae Myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party, stated on May 31, "Forgiving and turning a blind eye to serious crimes or acts that violate the rights of citizens simply because they are political is not what politics should be."
Lee Jae Myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party, is appealing for support from citizens during a campaign rally held on the 30th at the Clock Tower Plaza of Chungju Gymnasium in Chungju, Chungbuk. Photo by Yonhap News
During a KBS radio interview on this day, Lee responded to concerns that his emphasis on 'ending insurrection' could in fact serve as a tool for political retaliation by saying, "We must distinguish between patching things up and true integration."
Lee defined political retaliation as "committing unnecessary acts for political reasons in order to harm an opponent," and stressed, "We cannot simply overlook and forgive historical and national crimes that denied the entire constitutional order, such as pointing guns at the people and attempting to virtually dissolve the National Assembly, just because they were committed by political opponents. In fact, that goes against the value of integration."
He added, "(Through investigation) the facts must be clarified, but the degree of accountability should naturally follow the law as well as the sentiments and common sense of the people."
Regarding the investigations into former Prime Minister Han Ducksoo, former Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Choi Sangmok, and others, he said, "It is reported that evidence contradicting their statements that they were unaware of the 12·3 Emergency Martial Law is emerging," and added, "Investigative agencies should proceed as they are, and those responsible should be held accountable according to the facts that come to light."
However, he also stated, "There may be those who, as public officials, had no choice but to follow orders from above and thus have reasons to feel wronged, such as frontline commanders or lower-level staff. If they did not actively cooperate with the martial law, that means they defied their superiors and instead obeyed the people and justice, so they should actually be commended."
He went on to say, "One of the many tasks for the next administration is integration," and added, "This should not be just lip service; we must recognize differences and engage in dialogue, concession, and compromise."
Furthermore, he said, "If we continue to deny our opponents and claim everything for ourselves, or express hatred and hostility by saying we will eliminate the opposition, this will never end. Retaliation will only lead to more retaliation, and even after I leave office, there will be no guarantee of safety. I hope we can build a rational society where we come together and compete in good faith."
When asked whether, if elected president, he would visit the opposition party's headquarters on his first day in office to demonstrate his commitment to restoring dialogue in politics, Lee replied, "That's a good suggestion. I will have to consider whether to do it on the very first day, but since the inauguration ceremony is held at the National Assembly, your point about efficiency and symbolism makes a lot of sense."
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