Hong Jung-wook "The Conditions of a Leader Are Set by the Times... If Competent, Must Step Forward Directly"

On October 26th, Hong Jung-wook, Chairman of Organica, is entering the funeral hall of the late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee, set up at Samsung Medical Center in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, to pay his respects. Photo by Joint Press Corps

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suwan] Former Hannara Party (now People Power Party) lawmaker Hong Jung-wook stated, "If my individuality and capabilities align with the spirit of the times, I will step forward myself; if not, I must select a suitable leader and entrust them with the work." This has sparked speculation among some that he might be hinting at a return to politics, drawing considerable attention.

On the 28th, Hong quoted Han Feizi's saying, "One who does not strive to be the foremost in the world becomes a great leader," in a post on his blog, adding, "The times sometimes demand revolutionaries or administrators, sometimes prefer elites or commoners, and sometimes require the young or elders."

Regarding his departure from the National Assembly, Hong said, "The Blue House, which controls the government and the National Assembly, has been pushing policies at breakneck speed day after day, and the National Assembly has become a chaotic battleground filled with hammering and physical fights." He added, "When I walk around the neighborhood, all I hear are people shouting at me to stop fighting."

He continued, "It is impossible for one person to possess all leadership qualities, so one must constantly study and evolve," but warned, "However, one should not merely imitate this and that like a chameleon just to hold onto their position."

In conclusion, he emphasized, "If you hesitate when it's time to move, you miss the chance; if you struggle when you should stay still, you get caught. In this way, management and politics are no different from the wild."

Earlier, on the 7th, Hong also recalled the nomination process during the 18th general election in 2008, posting, "If you give up running out of fear of losing, you will regret it for life," and added, "Regret is far more frightening than failure."

Meanwhile, after serving as a lawmaker in the 18th National Assembly, Hong declared he would not run in the 19th general election in December 2011 and has since kept his distance from politics. Since last month, he has been contributing weekly essays in blog format.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.