Representative Jung Chung-rae’s two eyes look in different directions. One eye tracks the power of President Lee Jae-myung, while the other eyes the next seat of power. The collision of these two gazes threatens democracy and universal values. Hanmi Ilbo Graphic

In his speech on behalf of the Democratic Party at the National Assembly plenary session on the 9th, Representative Jung Chung-rae defined "liquidating insurrection" as the spirit of the times, leading to calls for the abolition of the prosecution, the establishment of a special tribunal for insurrection, and the pursuit of legislation to regulate the media. He branded the People Power Party as an "insurrectionist force" and argued that the moral revival of conservatism depends on settling accounts with the past. However, this speech represents not so much the personal voice of Jung Chung-rae as it does the political framework designed by President Lee Jae-myung. The origin of this disaster lies with Lee Jae-myung.

Representative Jung Chung-rae’s two eyes are already misaligned. More precisely, they are fixed on different places. One eye remains loyal, following in the shadow of President Lee Jae-myung, while the other eye races toward the next consolidation of power. The moment these two divergent gazes collide, the victims of that conflict will inevitably be our state institutions and democracy itself. Without even reflecting on what he is doing, Jung Chung-rae is embarking on a path that erodes the very foundations of the nation.

In his book "Leviathan," Hobbes described the natural state of humanity as a "war of all against all." In the absence of law and institutions, humans distrust one another and constantly struggle for survival, leaving no guarantee of peace or safety. Thus, people delegate a portion of their liberty to the state, and in return, the state guarantees order and security. This is the essence of the social contract as described by Hobbes and the very reason why the state must exist.

However, the Lee Jae-myung administration is instead fueling this struggle and dismantling the state. The ideas of dissolving the prosecution, pressuring the judiciary through a special tribunal, and domesticating the media ultimately drive the people into a state of rule by all against all. The state is no longer an arbiter, but has degraded into an instigator that takes the lead in divisive struggles.

Those standing beside Jung Chung-rae are also souls contaminated by the greed for power, rather than a desire to uphold the principles of democracy. In their world, there is no room for coexistence, cooperation, or trust. Much like eyes looking in opposite directions, only a cross-current of loyalty to power and personal ambition remains, distorting democracy.

The essence of democracy is not the monopoly of power, but its distribution. The desire to eliminate political competitors, seize control of the courts, and tame the media is not democracy; it is a regression into authoritarianism.

A greater problem is that the universal values of human rights and freedom of religion are being shaken in this process. A state exists to ensure the fundamental rights and freedom of faith of its people. But the moment an obsession with maintaining power leads to the oppression of the people and the branding of political opponents as criminals, the state denies its own basis for existence.

If Lee Jae-myung and Jung Chung-rae truly wish to discuss the spirit of the times, they should have addressed the restoration of trust in institutions, human rights, and religion, rather than the liquidation of "insurrection." Yet, all this administration shows is an obsession with power.

The misalignment of Jung Chung-rae’s eyes is not merely a personal distortion. It is a mirror reflecting the essence of the Lee Jae-myung administration. The origin of this disaster lies with Lee Jae-myung, and its end will likely be the collapse of the trust and universal values that once sustained this nation.

#JungChungRae #LeeJaeMyung #KimYoungColumn #HanmiColumn #MisalignedEyes #LiquidationOfInsurrection #AbolitionOfProsecution #MediaRegulation #CrisisOfDemocracy #HumanRightsAndReligion