President Lee Myung-bak’s comments regarding the 22nd anniversary of the June 10 Democratic Uprising clearly shows how wrong-headed his understanding of and prescriptions for the current situation are. To begin with, he said, “Our nation’s democracy has set down such firm roots in South Korea that nobody can force its retreat.” What is heartbreaking for so many people these days is the realization that the idea that democracy could not be forced into retreat regardless of who held the executive power was nothing more than baseless optimism. They feel anger and sadness towards a reality in which South Korean society came out of a terrible tunnel from which we were sure we had extricated ourselves, only to find ourselves back in it. It is precisely this point that it is unanimously being pointed out in the wave of declarations that have spread like wildfire across every sector of society. The commemorative statements only demonstrated that President Lee is not moving an inch in spite of the outpouring of public sentiments.

Instead, he has written off these demands for democratization as “self-righteous assertions.” His diagnosis of the current situation is that while the government is working for democracy, forces dominated by “group self-interest” are ruining it. He has clearly contradicted himself and has brazenly accused others of the wrongdoings he himself has committed. Who is the one who has, to quote President Lee, “put ideology ahead of pragmatism in the political space opened up by democracy”? Who is the one who has run the country with self-righteousness and egotism while flinging the virtues of “restraint and compromise” out the window? It leaves one truly dumbstruck to see him emphasize the importance of “open discussion and rational dialogue” in light of all of this.

President Lee promises to look at the anniversary of the June 10 Democratic Uprising as a reminder of the “means to achieving social unity and solidarity,” and declared that even he, the President, would “work hard to bring about a mature democracy.” However, this pledge rings utterly hollow in the place of his misguided understanding of the current reality and his proposed solution for it. Is it “working hard” to close your ears to the cries and groans bursting forth everywhere and to seal off a public　plaza? One wonders if he truly thinks that social unity can be achieved by using law and order against voices of opposition.

If President Lee really has any thoughts of carrying on and carrying forward the noble goals of the June struggle, he needs to pull himself out of the cave of misguided thinking. It is not enough to sing the praises of the “strong will of our citizens who love freedom and piece.” He must truly trust the citizens and open his ears to their voices. Until he realizes a major shift in his understanding of current circumstances, the more his and this country’s dissatisfaction will grow.

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]