[Column] "Uri Namguk-i"... The Unbreakable 'Brotherly Bond'

Polarizing Two-Party Politics
Friendship Built Amid Brotherhood
Wrongdoings Must Not Be Overlooked

"Has Representative ㅇㅇㅇ ever called me hyung (older brother)?"

A first-term lawmaker from the Democratic Party of Korea pointed out the chronic problem of 'clique culture' within the National Assembly and shared an anecdote. When the 21st National Assembly first began, he had a bold ambition to "contribute even a little to legislation for a better tomorrow." However, as bipartisan politics became more extreme, at some point, activities aimed at 'internal cohesion' took precedence over 'legislative activities.' Then one day, while seeking agreement from fellow lawmakers on a matter that seemed good to pursue jointly, a senior lawmaker abruptly invoked their personal relationship. It was along the lines of, "You’ve never even called me hyung, so why are you asking to do something together?"

He gave a bitter smile, saying, "Do we have to be close to each other even for legislative activities?" It was a moment that made the definition of a lawmaker as a 'legislative body' seem meaningless. If not bound by school ties, regional ties, or blood relations, lawmakers have to build camaraderie even by calling each other hyung. This shows that Korean politics still remains at that level.

In the case of the Democratic Party, 586 activist-origin lawmakers have taken the party’s center stage, and it has been pointed out that the term 'hyung,' used during their student activism days, is still prevalent even now that they are lawmakers.

What about lawmakers who pledged youth politics to break away from stagnant politics?

"Representative △△△ calls almost everyone hyung." This is an evaluation of a lawmaker classified as a young politician. The problem is not the use of hyung itself. However, the point being made is that one should not turn a blind eye to right and wrong under the blindfold of camaraderie built through hyung-hyoje (fraternal terms).

A staff member of a lawmaker who was once classified as 'anti-Lee faction' for criticizing internal party conflicts but has recently been mentioned as 'pro-Lee faction' due to frequent activities with Representative Lee Jae-myung said, "Being unintentionally classified as pro-Lee or anti-Lee seems inevitable when politics is viewed in terms of power relations." He added, "However, if undemocratic outcomes are produced simply because someone is close or distant to a particular person, that is a problem."

This issue was clearly revealed in the disciplinary controversy surrounding Representative Kim Nam-guk related to allegations of cryptocurrency speculation. The People Power Party is pressuring not to delay under the pretext of the National Assembly Act and to speed up the disciplinary process. In this situation, Democratic Party lawmakers who insisted on referring the case to the Ethics Committee said, "It’s not because we hate Representative Kim, but to correct something wrong," adding a caveat. This can be read as advice from the party leadership to distinguish between public and private matters.

The more they shield "our Namguk," the further the party’s sincerity for reform drifts away. In a political world where the first question is "Are you close to me?" rather than what the bill contains or what is right, lawmakers’ complaints that "it seems it can’t be fixed" should not be heard anymore.

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