"Did I Light the Candle for This?" Lee Nak-yeon's 'Pardon Theory' Sparks 'Fury' Among Pro-Moon Faction [Han Seung-gon's Political Notebook]

Democratic Party's Concrete Supporters 'Chinmun' Oppose Lee Nak-yeon's Pardon Proposal Daily
Some Criticize Politicians for Ignoring 'Park Geun-hye Impeachment Share'
"Why Came Out to Gwanghwamun in Cold Winter," "Why Not Listen to Candlelight Voices," Anger

Lee Nak-yeon, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is reviewing materials at the launch ceremony of the Youth Future Joint Meeting held at the National Assembly on the 4th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] "What on earth do they think about the candlelight protests?","I feel a sense of self-disgust. Did I hold the candlelight protests for this?"

The anger and frustration of the 'Pro-Moon' (親文; the core supporters of the Moon Jae-in administration who support President Moon Jae-in's governance and political philosophy) faction over Lee Nak-yeon's proposal to pardon former Presidents Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye continue day after day.

Some are even voicing distrust toward the current Moon Jae-in administration, citing the so-called 'Park Geun-hye candlelight impeachment' rights. On the other hand, there are lamentations mixed with a kind of self-disgust that deny the very time spent participating in the movement to oust former President Park in October 2016. In fact, as the Pro-Moon faction strongly opposes Lee's pardon proposal, concerns are emerging that the Pro-Moon faction may act as a kind of shackle in the current situation.

On the afternoon of November 19, 2016, citizens attending the 4th candlelight vigil held around Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul raised candles and protested, demanding the truth behind the "Choi Soon-sil Gate" and the resignation of then-President Park Geun-hye. [Image source=Yonhap News]

◆ "Why don't they listen to the candlelight opinions?" , "'Not blind opposition'... The reason for Park's impeachment is gone"

Kim, a man in his 40s who said he attended the Park Geun-hye impeachment rallies, does not deny the time he held the candlelight protests but expressed frustration at the Democratic Party leadership not withdrawing the pardon proposal.

Kim defined the candlelight citizens who brought about the Moon Jae-in government as people who actively participate in everyday politics. He added, "In other words, they can be called 'awake citizens.' From that perspective, they are actively participating and voicing opinions on Lee's pardon proposal. It is not the 'blind opposition' that some talk about," he emphasized.

Lee, a man in his 30s who said he attended the Gwanghwamun rallies with his children, criticized the lack of 'public consent.'

Lee said, "I hope people don't think I oppose everything the party leader decides and pushes forward," but lamented, "The most disappointing thing is why they didn't ask the party members or candlelight citizens for their opinions on pardoning the two former presidents." He emphasized, "Wasn't Park Geun-hye's impeachment carried out by us, the candlelight people? Then they should have asked our (candlelight) opinion first."

Meanwhile, some in the political circle believe that Lee, with only two months left in his party leadership, brought up the pardon proposal in relation to his next presidential bid. There is an interpretation that this is a move to expand his base toward the center by suddenly pardoning the two former presidents.

However, voices opposing Lee's pardon proposal also exist among some centrists. A worker who identified his political stance as centrist said, "Even among centrists, there is opposition to pardoning Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye." He emphasized, "It's not only the Pro-Moon supporters like Democratic Party supporters who oppose it, but other centrists including myself share this view."

Another centrist worker in his 40s, Park, said, "The center exerts its influence at the ballot box," and added, "Personally, the process is not clean, and above all, the backlash inside and outside the Democratic Party is not properly managed. How can they think about the presidential election like this?"

President Moon Jae-in is attending the first Cabinet meeting of the year held at the Blue House main building on January 7 last year. Behind President Moon, then Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeon is entering.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

◆ Democratic Party's Concrete Support Base 'Pro-Moon'... Is Lee's Pardon Proposal Being Hindered?

While Lee's pardon proposal is effectively being ignored by the Pro-Moon faction, there are also criticisms that the Pro-Moon, the Democratic Party's concrete support base, is acting as a kind of shackle in the current situation. When the party pursues policies, the Pro-Moon forms a strong support base that allows smooth legislation and policy implementation, but when opposed, it inevitably becomes an obstacle.

Earlier, Lee highly praised the Pro-Moon supporters at a debate in September last year, calling them "reasonable people" and "the energy source of the party."

President Moon Jae-in also evaluated the Pro-Moon as a politically positive force. In 2017, then Democratic Party presidential candidate Moon Jae-in, when asked in an interview about organized acts by Pro-Moon supporters such as 18-won donations, text message bombings, and defamatory comments against rival candidates, responded, "Such things can happen in fierce competition. I think they were like seasoning that made our competition more interesting."

Summarizing the situation, the Pro-Moon, whom Lee praised as "energy," "seasoning," and "reasonable people," is now strongly opposing Lee's pardon proposal as he prepares to run for president.

Political commentators and experts have warned early that such Pro-Moon forces could erode democracy. From a politician's perspective, active supporters can be a strong base, but they can also become poison at any time.

Choi Jang-jip, an emeritus professor of political science and diplomacy at Korea University with progressive leanings, criticized in a paper titled "Rethinking Korean Democracy" published in the Seoul National University Korean Political Studies Institute's journal 'Korean Political Studies' that "The emergence of the Moon Jae-in government after the candlelight protests was expected to be a turning point for Korean democracy entering a new stage, but now Korean democracy is in crisis," and added, "This crisis stems from the political failure of the elite group from the student activist generation and the so-called 'ppa' forces allied with them."

Professor Kang Jun-man of Jeonbuk National University also pointed out in his book 'Power Changes People's Brains' that "There are regimes that forget the obvious fact that 'the level of conservatives determines the level of progressives, and the level of progressives determines the level of conservatives' and govern targeting enthusiastic supporters, and the Moon administration is one of them."

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