Lee Jae-myung, the former leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, held a press conference on Jul. 10, announcing his candidacy for the party leadership election scheduled for Aug. 18.
In his declaration speech, Lee emphasized that “there is nothing more important than people’s livelihood,” and stated that focusing on “livelihood issues” is his only ideology.
By doing this, he means that the most crucial issue is ensuring that people can live well, and he promised to prioritize public welfare issues if elected as a party leader. He further explained that “sustainable growth is at the heart of focusing on livelihood issues,” and that he plans to secure growth engines centered on science and technology such as artificial intelligence (AI) and energy transition. Some within the Democratic Party likened his announcement to a presidential campaign declaration.
Of course it is undoubtedly the right direction for the leader of the ruling party in the National Assembly to prioritize livelihood issues over political strife.
If the Democratic Party holds hearings on “livelihood issues” in the National Assembly, focuses on standing committees, and engages in intense legislative competition and debates with the government and the ruling party to secure growth engines, that would truly embody a focus on people’s livelihood. However, Lee has shown little evidence of such a focus during his tenure as party leader. Currently, he seems to be moving in the opposite direction.
Just a day before declaring his focus on livelihood issues, the Democratic Party decided to hold a “presidential impeachment hearing” for reasons akin to incitement, such as “aggravating the war crisis through North Korea loudspeaker broadcasts,” and adopted 39 witnesses, including the president’s wife and mother-in-law.
Previously, the Democratic Party initiated an impeachment motion against four prosecutors, including three investigating Lee, and also announced the impeachment of the designated chairman of the Korea Communications Commission before their inauguration.
They are abusing their legislative power for Lee’s personal protection. In his press conference, Lee claimed that “the prosecution is disrupting order by acting like a separate power, so they need to be held accountable,” insisting that the impeachment of the prosecutors is not for his own protection. However, it seems unlikely that even he believes this assertion.
Although former lawmaker Kim Doo-kwan has emerged as a competitor in the party leadership race, this convention has effectively become an event to endorse Lee’s reappointment.
Candidates for the supreme council, which forms the party leadership, are also competing to show loyalty, claiming they will “become Lee Jae-myung’s lawyer” or “open the era of President Lee Jae-myung.” This preview indicates that the “second term Democratic Party of Lee Jae-myung” will become an even more solid protective shield for him.
This is not the first time a Democratic Party leader has prioritized “livelihood issues.” When former leader Song Young-gil took office in 2021, he stated that he would prioritize livelihood issues, but it turned out to be mere words. Whether Lee’s focus on livelihood issues is just another rhetorical play will soon be revealed.
