Choo Mi-ae Announces Presidential Candidacy: "Justice, Fairness, Rule of Law... I Will Fight Inequality with 'Jeonggongbeop'"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeon Jinyoung] Former Minister of Justice Chu Mi-ae officially declared her candidacy for the presidential election on the 23rd. On that day, former Minister Chu held a press conference in Heyri Art Village, Paju, Gyeonggi Province, under the slogan "A world where people are valued, a country that uplifts its people." She stated, "I will fight and win against inequality and polarization with justice, fairness, and the rule of law, known as 'Jeonggongbeop.' I will not use the power entrusted by the people carelessly. With a firm will for reform and strong execution, I will create a stepping stone for advancing into a developed nation."

Below is the full text of the declaration of candidacy.

A World Where People Are Valued, A Country That Uplifts Its People

Let us advance to a developed nation that protects the dignity of its people.

? New Generation Peace Theory, Aspirations of a Unification President

Respected citizens, beloved party comrades,

and 7.5 million overseas compatriots,

This is Chu Mi-ae greeting you from a world where people are valued, a country that uplifts its people.

Today, at Heyri in Paju, the gateway to peace and unification,

I declare my candidacy for the 20th presidential election.

This is the very path where Presidents Kim Dae-jung, Roh Moo-hyun, and Moon Jae-in embraced the dream of peace and unification on the Korean Peninsula, traversing the skies and the land.

The path to peace on the Korean Peninsula, which seemed about to open at any moment, is now taking a brief pause. However, the historic pledge to reconnect the divided homeland’s lifeline and revive the pulse of our people has not yet ended.

I remember the phrase "Peace, Restart" that I saw four years ago while accompanying President Moon Jae-in at this gateway.

If we yearn for peace and unification on this land, it is a task and mission we must never forget, even for a moment.

Peace has always come to those who did not lose hope amid those who sought to harm and those who sought to preserve it.

During my tenure as party leader, I advocated the "New Generation Peace Theory." It was a proposal to Chairman Kim Jong-un to abandon the nuclear armament theory, a legacy of his predecessors, and move from a "balance of terror" to a "balance of coexistence."

At the time when the North Korean nuclear crisis was at its peak, there was fierce opposition from conservative opposition parties, but just four months later, Chairman Kim Jong-un responded by announcing a New Year's address expressing a willingness for progressive dialogue.

Soon after, North Korean athletes participated in the February Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, turning it into a peace Olympics that attracted global attention, and two months later, a historic inter-Korean summit was held.

However, despite the historic agreements between the South and North Korean leaders and the outcomes of the North Korea-U.S. summit, international sanctions prevented any progress. I lost sleep over the helplessness standing before the cliff of division.

Recently, the situation surrounding the Korean Peninsula has been stirring again. Through the persistent persuasion and efforts of the Moon Jae-in administration, which never gave up, new paths are opening.

The Biden administration in the U.S. has changed its direction on North Korea policy, and the Kim Jong-un regime in North Korea is cautiously showing possibilities.

The best time for "Peace, Restart" is approaching.

The next president succeeding President Moon Jae-in must face this period with prepared insight and a confident stance.

The next government must proactively and independently establish a peace regime during this great transition on the Korean Peninsula and firmly prepare for future unification.

Bold and leading inter-Korean exchanges and cooperation must realize the dream of a stalled peace economy and fully open the channels of peace.

We must establish a more creative and future-oriented peace strategy on the Korean Peninsula that guarantees a prosperous future for our youth and the new generation in North Korea.

Based on the New Generation Peace Theory, I will revive the spark of peace on the Korean Peninsula and become a unification president who designs the future of a unified Korea far ahead.

? 21st Century Developed Nation, A Country That Elevates the Dignity of Its People

Respected citizens!

South Korea is indisputably one of the world's top 10 economic powers. Our military strength ranks sixth globally. Our per capita GDP has surpassed Italy, ranking seventh worldwide.

President Moon Jae-in’s participation in the G7 summit and the South Korea-U.S. summit confirmed South Korea’s elevated status. It was a proud transformation so remarkable that people said, "I woke up to find we had become a developed country."

Now it is time for the country to further elevate the dignity of its people.

The dignity of the people must rise in proportion to the country’s elevated status.

Still, our country remains one of the most polarized among OECD nations.

We also have the lowest birth rate in the OECD and the highest suicide and elderly poverty rates.

Although we have steadily filled welfare blind spots, many areas remain unattended.

Efforts to solve youth issues have been made, but young people still sit down overwhelmed by anxiety and loss about the future.

Conservative opposition parties, conservative media, and some bureaucrats block urgent and active fiscal policies, citing worsening fiscal soundness.

Meanwhile, news reports have overlapped: one about the highest-ever increase in luxury consumption in our country over the past year, and another about an elderly person over 80 who died in an accident while selling goods.

With tightly bound financial resources, household debt has approached 2,000 trillion won after passing through the COVID-19 crisis.

At the threshold of a developed country that not everyone can cheer for, I have been pondering this.

If we only follow the developed countries in the current way, can we resolve polarization, inequality, and unfairness? Can our people be happier than now? Can democracy and human rights flourish more fully?

If we cannot break structured inequality and unfairness, the 20th-century developed country model we have pursued cannot resolve polarization and inequality.

While the country and some companies may become wealthier, it is clear that the overall happiness index of the people will gradually decline.

The path we must take is a country that elevates the dignity of its people, a 21st-century developed nation.

We must become a country where the people live well, not just a country that is prosperous.

First, I will fundamentally reform structured unfairness.

Especially, the enormous unearned income generated from land and real estate and the monopoly privileges of a few must be boldly put on the operating table. Land rent reform is the dismantling of privilege and a fundamental remedy for severe polarization.

Second, all administrative acts and exercises of power that violate human rights must immediately disappear.

We must correct wrongful laws and systems that infringe on the human rights of sovereign citizens, and the era of suffering under selective justice by power institutions must end.

Third, I propose a that harmonizes universal welfare and focused welfare.

Universal welfare will be greatly expanded, and selective welfare will evolve into focused welfare to eliminate exclusion and discrimination and return substantial welfare benefits.

Fourth, I will nurture 21st-century talents through a revolutionary education reform.

University education that has abandoned basic academic disciplines and humanities cannot cultivate the convergent talents required by the 4th Industrial Revolution of the 21st century.

Fifth, I will pursue a world order based on strategic solidarity, cooperation, and reciprocity.

In the post-pandemic restructured world order, we must claim a leading role as a leading country.

All of this will lead to a country that elevates the dignity of its people, fitting for a 21st-century developed nation, and a world where people are valued.

? A World Where People Are Valued, A Country That Uplifts Its People

Respected citizens! Candlelight citizens!

Nothing is higher than people in this world. Yet, a world where nothing is higher than people has not yet come.

A world where people are higher than money,

a world where people are higher than land,

a world where people are higher than power and ideology,

toward that world, I want to join hands with you and raise Chu Mi-ae’s flag.

Chu Mi-ae’s flag is your flag and the flag of this era.

To create ,

I will build .

The essence of politics is to serve the people.

The essence of the state is also to serve and care for the people.

The spirit of popular sovereignty must now step out of the constitution and run freely with us. The simple and clear truth of equality, where no one is below or above another, must shine.

That is truly the spirit of the Candlelight Revolution and the wish of 13 million candlelight citizens.

As the leader of the main opposition party, I stood with you in the candlelight square.

I promised the candlelight citizens a grand social reform. I have not forgotten that promise.

I traveled thousands of kilometers asking for the birth of a candlelight government.

With your power, we achieved a regime change after 10 years.

Now, to complete the candlelight reform, we stand at the starting point of the 4th democratic government and regime re-creation.

Some say the era of candlelight is over and want to stop talking about candlelight.

Some politicians hesitate to even mention it.

But I, Chu Mi-ae, cannot do that.

I have kept the promise made in that square

and have carried the mission to complete the candlelight reform.

Because of the candlelight citizens, we could overcome the difficult journey of prosecutorial reform.

Please shout "Candlelight, Restart" together with Chu Mi-ae.

? Chu Mi-ae’s Jeonggongbeop (Justice, Fairness, Rule of Law)

Dear citizens! Candlelight citizens!

Many people say that Chu Mi-ae’s politics is Jeonggongbeop.

Chu Mi-ae’s Jeonggongbeop, that is correct.

Justice! Fairness! Rule of law!

Just as President Kim Dae-jung fought against dictatorship and division with Jeonggongbeop,

and President Roh Moo-hyun fought against privilege and unfairness with Jeonggongbeop,

I will fight and win against inequality and polarization with Jeonggongbeop.

Chu Mi-ae’s Jeonggongbeop will become the governing principle of a country that uplifts its people.

I will not use the power entrusted by the people carelessly.

With a firm will for reform and strong execution, I will create a stepping stone for advancing into a developed nation.

I will build a country of justice, fairness, and rule of law against the selective justice, fake fairness, and ultra-legal acts of vested interests.

Those who shake the discipline of the country and use public authority as a means for private gain will be punished in the name of justice, fairness, and rule of law.

? Democratic Party, Listen!

Respected citizens!

Party comrades!

The Democratic Party must return to the spirit of candlelight.

We must quickly reorganize for reform politics and prepare for the battle to recreate the regime.

Let us empathize deeply with the suffering of the people.

Let us focus on the essence of issues and solve them competently.

Let us thoroughly learn about deep-rooted inequality and unfairness, propose mid- to long-term solutions, and put them into practice.

Let us not only belong to the Democratic Party but also arm ourselves with the spirit of the Democratic Party.

Let us remember the blood-stained sacrifices and dedication of senior comrades who dedicated themselves to the altar of people’s livelihood, democracy, peace, and human rights, and realize the people’s mandate.

Considering the people’s desperate suffering, there is no time to waste on empty debates.

Let us reorganize and stand before history and the people without shame.

Let us form the ranks of reform politics and raise the flag of grand social reform to make all our hearts beat again.

I, Chu Mi-ae, will lead the way.

Thank you for listening.

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