[Column] Old Habits Korean Politics Must Abandon: Shifting from Factions to the People

Former Democratic Party of Korea Jeonnam Women's Director Jang Jinyoung

Jinyoung Jang, Former Director of Women’s Affairs for Jeonnam, Democratic Party of Korea.

A longstanding problem in Korean politics is that it has been driven by factionalism and black-and-white thinking.

The issue is that this political behavior ultimately makes life more difficult for the people, not just serving the interests of a particular party or group. The moment politics only represents one side's interests, the nation becomes divided, national dignity declines, and progress comes to a halt. Unless this vicious cycle is broken, its damage will not end with the current generation but will be passed on to future generations.

The first thing a political party must do to earn the trust of the people is to appoint the right talent. Parties should select individuals who possess empathy to understand the public, humility that does not waver in the face of power, expertise to comprehend and implement policies, and commitment to prioritize the nation over personal or factional interests. Even companies conduct multiple rounds of vetting to hire a single employee. The political arena, which is responsible for the country's future, must not apply lower standards than this.

I aim to maintain a neutral perspective without political prejudice and believe that, in the current reality, participating in practical, everyday politics is the right approach.

However, I also believe there are aspects of President Lee Jaemyung's leadership that deserve positive recognition. No one is perfect, but his determination to pursue policies for the people and his sense of balance are clearly evident. His willingness to supplement policies that may lean to one side and his efforts to consider regional balance are qualities essential for national governance. If more individuals like this were placed in both the ruling and opposition parties, politics would become a field of competition for the people, rather than a battleground for lawsuits and slander.

While the National Assembly is preoccupied with political strife, state affairs come to a standstill and the livelihoods of the people are pushed aside. Nevertheless, lawmakers continue to receive their salaries as usual. How long must we tolerate this reality, where taxpayers' money is being consumed? Politics must move beyond factional power struggles.

What the people want is not politics for "our side," but politics that will lead the nation in the right direction. If politics does not change on its own, Korea cannot move forward. Now is the time to shift the focus from factions to the people. This is the minimum responsibility that Korean politics must restore, and the only starting point for future progress.

Next year's nationwide local elections will be an important process in which the public will choose new governors, mayors, district heads, metropolitan and basic council members, and superintendents of education. Attention is focused on which talents will be appointed and whether they can realize politics that looks beyond factions to serve the people.

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