[K-Women Talk] Humble Leaders Look in the Mirror Every Day

It is the height of a sweltering summer. After the biting winds of martial law and impeachment last winter, what do those left behind hope for? We all imagine, with anticipation, that the wounds frozen by the harsh winds will heal in the warm breeze of new choices, and that fresh life will spring forth on a vibrant summer day. With a fervent wish for these hopes and expectations to come true, we endure the stifling, suffocating tropical nights.

The newly elected government was born with the mission of meeting these expectations. Korean society faces internal and external challenges such as division, an increasingly precarious security and trade environment, and the quagmire of low growth. Yet, it is clear that the most fundamental force to overcome these challenges is national unity regarding the country's identity and vision.

The need for national unity becomes even more urgent in an era defined by volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA). These circumstances make our challenges even more daunting, and overcoming them requires the collective capabilities of a group that go beyond any individual or faction. The delusional leadership of "me alone" or "just us" has already been judged and rejected by the people through impeachment and the presidential election. Now, what is required is leadership grounded in self-reflection and humility.

Some politicians look in the mirror every day, wiping away blemishes and reflecting on themselves. Others, however, look out the window, always blaming the outside world. They never accept responsibility, and the problem is always "the other side." This is the critical fork in the road that separates humble leadership from hypocritical, double-standard leadership. Politics based on double standards leads to a vicious cycle of factional conflict and national division.

Humility is not weakness; it is the mark of true leadership and the key to unlocking the collective intelligence our era demands. A humble leader is not simply someone with a humble personality, but someone who learns that the group knows more than any individual. Humble leaders know they are not perfect. That is why they listen, compromise, and mediate. The courage to admit one might be wrong is the true hallmark of the strongest leader.

History remembers such leaders. In the past, President Kim Dae-jung joined hands with Kim Jong-pil, who had persecuted him. President Roh Moo-hyun, though strong-willed, maintained an open attitude, listening to the opposition with the belief that "I could be wrong." They were more concerned with frameworks for coexistence than with expanding their own power. Their humility earned the trust of the people.

In contrast, politicians of double standards, regardless of party, wear the mask of justice while pursuing private interests. They speak of law and principle, but their standards are strict only for others, while for themselves they hide behind claims of "political retaliation" or "legitimate explanation." Because these politicians lack self-reflection, every controversy is blamed on the media, and every criticism is blamed on the opposing camp. With this unaccountable leadership, they distort politics into a morality that serves only their own side.

The public has grown weary of such double-standard politics over the past several years. They now expect the new government, political parties, and media to change the system and revive the community through humble leadership. Not only the ruling party but also a newly armed conservative camp, grounded in humble leadership, must emerge for the system of checks and balances to function properly.

Today, Korean society is exhausted by division, distrust, and fatigue. The leader needed in such times is not someone smarter or stronger, but someone more humble?someone who lowers themselves to listen to others, who is practical and flexible. That humility shapes the future of the community.

This is the question for politicians: Will you be a leader who looks in the mirror, or one who only points fingers out the window? Humble leadership is the courage to empathize, the wisdom to let go, and the first step toward politics that serves everyone.

Park Eunha, Former Ambassador to the United Kingdom