[Editorial] Look to the people
Rep. Jung Chung-rae, a lawmaker well known for his hard-line stance and rough way with words, was elected chair of the ruling Democratic Party in its national convention last Saturday.
He said in his acceptance speech that the insurrection was not over yet and that the party must root out "insurrectionist" forces.
He defined the main opposition People Power Party as "a force which tried to destroy the Constitution" and his party as "a force trying to defend it."
He also said if the People Power Party does not engage in self-reflection on former President Yoon Suk Yeol's Dec. 3 martial law declaration and offer an apology for it, he will not even shake hands with their lawmakers.
His remarks reveal his stance that he will not recognize the largest opposition party as a dialogue partner.
During his election campaign, he argued that the People Power Party should be disbanded. In fact, he proposed a bill to revise the Constitutional Court Act to enable the National Assembly to request the court's judgment on the dissolution of a political party.
He also said that if elected party leader, he would immediately process requests to allow for the arrest of (People Power Party) lawmakers if the special counsels investigating the alleged insurrection send it to the Assembly.
Quite a number of past Democratic Party leaders were seen as hard-line politicians, but none expressed a willingness to deny the very existence of an opposition party.
If the ruling party leader holds fast to this attitude that disregards the main opposition party completely, there will be no place for compromise or negotiation. Only extreme confrontations would remain.
It is particularly worrisome that during the campaign, he proposed a bill that could allow the National Assembly to request a court trial for the dissolution of the People Power Party.
The idea of getting rid of an opposition party under the pretext that insurrection should be ended shows an intention to run the National Assembly like a one-party parliament and keep railroading legislation without opposition party input.
He also said that he would finish reforming the prosecution, the media and the judiciary without fail before the Chuseok holiday (which falls on Oct. 6 this year).
The party seeks to remove the prosecution and instead establish an agency devoted to indictment and another to investigating high crimes, give the National Assembly and civic groups the right to recommend directors of public broadcasting networks, make media pay punitive damages for false reports, and increase the number of Supreme Court justices.
These bills are of great significance in that they could shake the foundations of the judicial system and bring about great changes in everyday life. Discussions with opposition parties and sufficient deliberations are essential. Yet Jung has made it clear he intends to push them through within a couple of months.
He made a phone call to Kang Sun-woo, a Democratic Party lawmaker who stepped down as the nominee for Minister of Gender Equality and Family, and said to her, "I will be a strong fence to protect you. Hang in there."
Jung advocated for a person who was judged by the people to be unqualified for the ministerial job amid outrage over revelations that she had bullied her legislative aides.
He defends those on the side of his party. He does not give a fig for the people.
His offer to do the "dirty work" of political fighting instead of President Lee Jae Myung is mistaken. The leader of the ruling party is not subordinate to the president. Party-government relations that are more aware of the president than of the people cannot but lead to a failure of state administration.
During campaigns, candidates can make extreme arguments. But the election is over. Jung is in charge of a ruling party that has a large majority of seats in the National Assembly. The governing party takes joint responsibility for state affairs with the administration. He must not lead the party only for the sake of its hard-line base. He must be aware of the entire nation and cooperate with the opposition.
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