Lee Cheol-woo, Governor of Gyeongbuk Province (right), and Kim Jeong-ki, Acting Mayor of Daegu and Deputy Mayor, shake hands at a meeting of the Daegu-Gyeongbuk Administrative Integration Promotion Council held at the Gyeongbuk Provincial Office in Andong, Gyeongsangbuk-do, ahead of the June local elections. [Photo=Yonhap News]

Candidates are moving busily ahead of the local elections. It is often said that the purpose of political parties is to gain power, and elections are the stage for that. Therefore, during election season, all sorts of alliances and betrayals emerge for the sake of "blind victory." Comrades who were inseparable yesterday can become enemies overnight, and mergers with seemingly incompatible forces are not uncommon.

However, at this point, we must re-examine the original meaning of political parties. Before being a means to gain power, a political party is an association of ideology and philosophy. Its reason for existence is established only when its members gather and nurture their shared purpose. Politics is a process of pursuing the public good, making it fundamentally different from businesses that pursue private profit.

Disbandment and Reassembly with Unclear Identities… A Poisonous Prescription Leading to the Demise of Party Politics

However, the reality is such that the fear of losing an election has even led to the notion of "barren parties," where the idea that "if we lose the election, it's all for nothing" gains traction. The closer elections get, the more "blind mergers" gain momentum, as long as they contribute to vote acquisition. However, this sacrifices the identity and philosophy of political parties and ultimately leads to a hodgepodge, a poisonous prescription for the downfall of party politics.

The regrouping of parties with unclear identities is akin to a rushed wedding ceremony. Though joined outwardly, two individuals with different philosophies and values cannot truly live as partners. A wedding is a single moment, but married life is an immeasurably long journey. The same applies to political parties. An election may be an event, but a political party must encompass continuity and direction beyond it. An election solely focused on winning is no different from a fraudulent wedding aimed at collecting wedding gifts.

The Original Meaning of Elections… A "Build-up" Process for Solidifying the Foundation of Party Politics

Political parties should never be reduced to mere tools for elections. Rather, elections should be a process of clearly revealing and being chosen based on a party's philosophy and identity. Elections should be a long-term "build-up" process for party politics, rather than just a festival for gaining power. It should be a process of being tested for one's earnest political philosophy and policy capabilities, not a "surprise show" fielding candidates with impressive résumés and well-known faces.

Through this process, genuine comrades should be discovered, and the party's philosophy and values should be nurtured together. Only then will the political party, as a collective of philosophy and ideology, develop independently, and this is the path to eternal victory.

I urge all prospective candidates for this local election to ask themselves, "Why am I involved in politics?" If there is even a hint of personal gain or greed in the answer, then they are better suited to pursue business ventures focused on profit rather than politics.

Running for election is not a build-up for opportunistic advancement, but a confession and declaration of one's intention to live a public life.

By Min Byung-gon, Political Documentary Writer