Lee Jae-myung: "If given a chance, I will forge a new path even through thorns"

[Asia Economy=Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Lee Jae-myung, governor of Gyeonggi Province and a presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, said, "It is possible to do politics comfortably by compromising moderately and confusing the people with ambiguous words, but I believe this is a betrayal of the sovereign people," and promised, "I will forge a new path even if I have to go through a thorny road."

This appears to show his firm determination in response to the recent concentrated attacks on the 'Seongnam Daejang-dong private development project' not only from the opposition but also from competing candidates within his own party.

On the 21st, through Facebook, Lee said, "There is a saying that 'reform is harder than revolution,'" adding, "This is because the resistance of vested interests trying to protect unfair profits is unimaginably strong and persistent," indirectly referring to the recent persistent attacks targeting him by vested interest groups.

He continued, "Anyone can talk about reform, but doing what needs to be done while enduring backlash and pain is not as easy as it sounds," and explained, "This is because reform is hardly possible without the courage to endure the resistance of vested interests and the drive to overcome difficulties."

He then reflected on his political life, saying, "(I) did not avoid doing what needed to be done out of fear, did not compromise with injustice, and did not succumb to all kinds of temptations such as money and fame," adding, "My life has been an endless struggle against vested interests."

In particular, he said, "(When all kinds of slanderous plots were rampant) there were times I wanted to stop," and added, "If I avoid noisy issues, compromise moderately to hear good words, and confuse the people with ambiguous and vague words, politics can be done very comfortably, but that is a betrayal of the sovereign people. I have endured and broken through with the determination that if I do not properly use the power given by the people, I will not do politics, and that is how I have come this far."

Furthermore, Lee promised, "If you give me a chance, I will break through difficulties and definitely make a path under any circumstances," and pledged, "I will open that path, even if I have to go through a thorny road that I could not take because of fear and vested interests."

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