[Editorial] “Dragging President Park down is the first step toward democracy”

Posted on : 2016-11-07 15:52 KST Modified on : 2016-11-07 15:52 KST
Participants in the second “Get Together! Get Angry! #Resign_ParkGeunhye Citizens’ Candlelight Assembly” march from Gwanghwamun Square toward Jongno
Participants in the second “Get Together! Get Angry! #Resign_ParkGeunhye Citizens’ Candlelight Assembly” march from Gwanghwamun Square toward Jongno

The sentiment expressed by the public at candlelight demonstrations last weekend in Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square and all around South Korea is very clear: President Park Geun-hye must resign. The people’s message is that as the one responsible for leaving the country in its current state, it is only right that Park should step down - that this is indeed the only path toward resolving the situation. And it is not merely the demonstrators. Recent opinion polls already show well over 50% of the public agreeing that Park should resign, and that figure is getting higher day by day.

The public doesn‘t simply want Park gone, though. Within those sentiments is a keen desire for a fundamental restructuring of South Korean society. The Choi Sun-sil scandal is merely the fuse that touched off a simultaneous explosion of anger; inside the hearts of the people who crowded into the streets is a curdled mixture of frustration and rage at a long-festering reality. This was a matter of fury at a contradictory, abnormal reality erupting all at once: at the general social irrationality and inequality signified by the recent coinage “Hell Joseon”; at the rule-breaking and special prerogatives seen everywhere in society; at a firmly entrenched system of vested interests in the political, bureaucratic, and business worlds; at a sad state of affairs where the basic rights of members of society are ignored and everyone must follow whatever those at the top dictate.

The public’s gaze is now turned to something beyond Park‘s resignation. What this occasion has touched off is an outpouring all around of the desire to tear down the very foundations of this society and build a new order, a new community. This is the reason for all the calls to reclaim democracy and human rights from their current collapse, to rescue and reform areas like politics, the economy, foreign affairs, and natural security from their current backsliding. It’s a feeling encapsulated in a cry from the scene of one demonstration: “Dragging President Park down is the first step toward democracy.”

 Nov. 5. (by Kang Chang-kwang
Nov. 5. (by Kang Chang-kwang

The problem here is that the gap between this explosive desire and the reality is still too vast. The chief responsibility for answering this eruption of yearning lies with the political establishment in the ruling and opposition parties, including Park herself. Unfortunately, their attitude has been dispiriting to say the least.

Never mind taking the pulse of the public‘s desires - Park’s attention right now is too focused on maintaining her power base. It’s this attitude that is leaving her with little room to maneuver and hastening her collapse. In truth, the situation she is facing right now leaves no other option but stepping down. The others that have been suggested - retreating to a secondary role, separating domestic from foreign governance - are really no more than semantics. The very idea of a president handling national defense and foreign affairs - two of the most important duties of any state - when her lack of governance ability has already been exposed is nonsense. What soldier is going to recognize the supreme command prerogative of a president whose moral authority is at rock bottom? Who around the world is going to deal squarely with a president shunned back at home? For Park to perform even a secondary role over the remaining sixteen months of her term would only further fan the chaos unfolded here.

Let’s leave the ruling Saenuri Party out of this - as bystanders and defenders in this governance scandal. They are not qualified to talk about “new change” for this society. But the opposition parties seem similarly unprepared to realize the dreams that have erupted from the public. They’ve done nothing but fumble, seemingly at a loss as to how to respond to the situation that has descended on them. They have neither the ability to lead this vast movement in popular feeling nor any ideas on how to make those wishes a political reality. The continued confusion over how to approach the political situation is ultimately a sign that they lack the vision or the preparation to build a new world. The way things are now, neither the opposition parties nor South Korea itself has a future.

The dam has already burst. The citizens who came to the candlelight rallies sent a unanimous message: “With an engaged public, great changes will happen.” Their desire has become a vast, flowing river that cannot be defied. It’s time for all of us to give serious thought to how we can go about turning this chaos into a golden opportunity for fundamental change in this society.

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

 

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