[Stones and Stories] The First Move of the New Year Is Self-Diagnosis

The turning of the year marks a new beginning. It is a time to leave behind the old and embrace the new.

It is not just age that accumulates. Hope for life is also restored. There is anticipation that we can once again fill what is lacking. Imagining the sweetness of adding more is the reason we look forward to the new year. The start of a new year brings excitement because it gives everyone a chance to begin again. Only by filtering out the residue of tangled thoughts can we make room to recharge with newness.

In the game of Go, the new year signifies the deepening of connections. It is a chance to quench the thirsts left unfulfilled in last year's matches. There are countless Go relationships one wishes to deepen. Precise endgames, the proper use of established patterns, well-structured openings, vital points in life-and-death situations, and brilliant moves that turn the tide... If we were to list everyone's wishes in Go, even a thousand moves might not suffice. Even when filled, there is still a sense of wanting more; that is the nature of Go.

To fill one's shortcomings, it is important to diagnose them accurately. One must examine what is lacking. If you start off on the wrong foot, you cannot reach your goal. The problem is that recognizing one's own weaknesses is not as easy as it sounds.

Sometimes, what we believe we have already filled is actually just an illusion of empty desire. To think something is complete when it is still lacking-what can you grasp by clutching at empty air? A proper diagnosis is the first step in preparing to move forward.

In fact, there are those who grow stronger with each passing year. As they continue to add layers of strength, their Go becomes naturally more solid. By accurately identifying their weaknesses and making additional efforts to improve, their skills inevitably advance. Those who know how to make use of the new year are the ones who approach success. This is also a point that should be emphasized in politics.

The first priority is to recognize one’s own reality. Vague hopes that things will change in the new year are not enough to break through reality. If you are currently facing public disapproval, you must understand why; if you are receiving public support, you must also understand why, and then prepare a blueprint for action. Only by welcoming the new year in this way can one guide the turbulent currents of public sentiment and lead the way to a new path.

What did the year 2025 mean for Korean society? If we focus only on the change of power itself, it is difficult to grasp the essence. Our society is still in a period of healing. We must recognize that the shadows of the past year may cast darkness on the new year. We must look with concern at the reality where the language of exclusion, rather than empathy, is gaining strength and expanding its reach.

In such circumstances, can we afford to waste every morning with harsh words directed at opposing political forces? The echo of harsh and unempathetic arguments cannot win anyone’s heart. If we genuinely long for change, why not start by reviewing the messages we send in the new year?

Messages filled with political rhetoric are unlikely to gain public sympathy. Strings of well-wishes or rosy blueprints are nothing more than empty wordplay. Instead, if politicians diagnose themselves from the perspective of their critics and pledge to make efforts to address the shortcomings pointed out, they are more likely to earn the public’s support. Politicians who acknowledge their own shortcomings will be able to get closer to the public’s thirst-the fundamental reasons behind it.