[Initial Perspective] What We Must Consider Before Talking About "Unity"

The Crisis Created by the Competition for Political Clarity
An Atmosphere That Does Not Tolerate Differences
We Must First Establish the Standards of Right and Wrong

Perhaps everyone wants to talk about "unity." We are already exhausted by the language of division?by gender, generation, ethnicity, and more. However, it is important to address this directly. We must neither overlook nor forget the reason why this presidential election was held early.

For the past three years, the word that best summarizes Korean society is "political clarity." In the competition for clarity, any ideology different from one's own is immediately seen as an enemy. Compromise has disappeared, and even the smallest differences are instantly excluded. Discrimination is justified in this way. Politically attacking those who think differently or those one dislikes has become commonplace. As a result, words that used to be whispered in private, words "without shame," have now taken over the public sphere.

For example, even the minimum courtesy in the face of death has vanished. Regardless of conservative or progressive leanings, Korean society once shared a sense of reflection and empathy regarding the tragedies of modern history. There is no need to list them all: the 4·19 Revolution, the Busan-Masan Uprising, and the 5·18 Gwangju Democratization Movement. These events have served as politically neutral and emotionally buffering grounds for those of us who survived the ideological wars.

However, in recent years, the tragedies of modern history have been selectively denounced as riots. Even attending memorials for the dead has become a target for political attacks. This does not apply only to historical facts. At some point, when faced with incidents and accidents resulting in mass casualties, people began to distinguish between friend and foe along ideological lines, rather than sharing in collective grief. There are now those who insult the deceased simply because of differing ideologies in the face of tragedy. Those who compete for political clarity end up killing the dead twice in this way.

The most extreme manifestation of political clarity occurred on December 3 of last year. It was a night we all experienced together. The former president declared martial law and deployed airborne troops to the National Assembly. Helicopters landed at the National Assembly building, and armed soldiers mingled with civilians. The situation was barely brought under control by dawn.

The former president, who was responsible for this incident, claimed that martial law was declared because of "the opposition party's obstructionist policies, legislative tyranny, and unilateral budget cuts." In reality, these remarks amount to nothing more than admitting that martial law was declared simply to remove those he disliked politically?those with different ideologies. Such actions are unacceptable in any normal society.

However, even after martial law was lifted, political clarity only intensified. The voices of those who believed that anything was permissible for the sake of their own camp's expansion grew louder. An unprecedented "Western District Court riot" even occurred. There were public statements that "if political clarity disappears, even the roots of the party will be shaken." The ability to judge right from wrong, as well as any sense of shame, vanished. No one can deny these facts. There is no room for bothsidesism on this issue. Only a judgment of right and wrong is needed.

Therefore, before we speak of unity, we must first set right what is right and wrong. Why was this presidential election held? Is it right to simply watch the competition for political clarity? Who is fueling hatred and conflict? Will we remain silent about such remarks under the pretext of freedom of expression? Has the word "freedom" in the political sphere not been contaminated? At the very least, we must clearly define the lines that must not be crossed. Now that the election is over, saying that everything should be buried and we should move on to unity is the height of irresponsibility.