Minchuhyeop 40th Anniversary "Politics of Dialogue and Compromise Needed"

Choo Kyung-ho "Ruling and opposition parties must think together for the country's future"
Cheon Ha-ram "Why should our politics be led by Gaeddal?"

At the 40th anniversary ceremony of the formation of the Council for the Promotion of Democracy (Minchuhyeop), voices were raised calling for the political sphere to inherit the spirit of dialogue and compromise of Minchuhyeop.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Kim Deok-ryong, chairman of Minchuhyeop, said at the ceremony held at the National Assembly on the 22nd, "After 40 years, where does democracy in the Republic of Korea stand today?" He added, "Is the democratic movement force, which was more just and moral than anyone else, still seen as just and moral in the eyes of others today?" He continued, "It is truly regrettable that we have become the target of public ridicule and finger-pointing due to lies, hypocrisy, and double standards," and said, "I miss the original intention of the Minchuhyeop era. Even now, I want to appeal with all my strength to return to that original intention."

Choo Kyung-ho, floor leader of the People Power Party, said, "Former President Kim Young-sam said that even if we fight, we must fight inside the National Assembly, and former President Kim Dae-jung said that lawmakers are most beautiful when they are in the National Assembly." He added, "The Sanggodong faction and the Donggyodong faction fought and opposed each other, but at decisive moments, they united to achieve democratization." He continued, "Recently, many citizens are worried that the confrontation between the ruling and opposition parties has become severe due to factional logic," and said, "I believe we must protect the legislature and work together to solve livelihood issues and national affairs through dialogue and compromise for the future of the country."

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, sent a video congratulatory message due to his schedule at the elected officials' workshop. Lee said, "As stated in the first sentence of the declaration of the democratic struggle that realizing democracy on this land is an absolute mission, our Democratic Party will continue to firmly stand against all attempts that threaten democracy," and "We will move toward greater democracy with the people's lives, safety, and livelihood as the first principles."

There were also voices criticizing the People Power Party and the Democratic Party. Cheon Ha-ram, elected member of the Reform New Party, said, "When former Presidents Kim Dae-jung and Kim Young-sam were active, politics was like a grand drama," and added, "I feel that today's politics has become like a messy daily drama rather than a grand drama." He criticized, "No matter how imperial the presidential system is, is it stronger than the old military dictatorship?" and questioned, "Why is the ruling party so scared of the president that they cannot say a word?" Regarding the Democratic Party, he said, "People like former Presidents Kim Dae-jung and Kim Young-sam led the masses of one or two million gathered in Yeouido Park or Jangchung-dong, not the other way around," and criticized, "Why should our politics be led by a few tens of thousands of 'Gaeddal'?"

Minchuhyeop is a political organization formed on May 18, 1984, during the military regime, by the Sanggodong faction of former President Kim Young-sam and the Donggyodong faction of former President Kim Dae-jung to promote the democratization movement. It is regarded as the driving force behind the June Struggle of 1987, which led to the direct presidential election constitutional amendment.

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