What They Said is a regular series on the quotes Korea is talking about.
On March 9, the 20th presidential election was held in South Korea. The People Power Party’s candidate Yoon Suk-yeol prevailed, winning by 0.73% of the vote, the narrowest margin ever recorded in South Korea’s election history.
Yoon Suk-yeol gave his victory speech on March 10, when it became clear that he had won:
Great and proud people of South Korea! Thank you. Again, thank you very much.
Overwhelmed and with a feeling of immense responsibility, I stand before you as the 20th president-elect.
Since resigning from public office, I have managed to come this far, as a beginner in politics, thanks to the support and generosity you have shown me.
I faced many difficulties after entering politics. But, each time, I thought about why the people had called on me and what was best for the people. Going forward, I will only trust the people and only follow the will of the people. When public officials succumb to power, justice dies, and powerless people become more at risk.
The people have given me this position with their hope in my conviction that for the past 26 years I have not yielded to any power by suppressing fairness or justice.
I believe it is the people’s wish that I keep my promise of making justice tangible in our daily lives before thinking about what justice is. It is the voice of reform to uphold fairness and common sense in this country, and it is the people’s earnest appeal to me to pursue a politics of unity rather than division. It is their solemn command to create a new country of hope.
I will never forget the will of the people.
If the interests of the people and the nation, not political advantages or disadvantages, become the standard of state affairs, the Republic of Korea will not be divided into progressives and conservatives, nor into Yeongnam and Honam regions.[1] I, Yoon Suk-yeol, will move forward with only the people on my mind.
Fellow Koreans, we are now facing unprecedented challenges: responding to the 4th industrial revolution, overcoming the Covid pandemic, and handling the chronic low growth and polarization of our economy.
The Yoon Suk-yeol administration will overcome these crises by setting right the liberal democracy and market economy and ushering in an era of unity and prosperity. We will avoid outdated ideologies that threaten liberal democracy and we will run the government with common sense. Through this, we will create a dynamic country where individuals are guaranteed fair opportunities, where they can fully demonstrate their autonomy and creativity, where the value of labor is respected, and where the working people prosper.
We will create jobs and strengthen the middle class by shifting to an economy led by the private sector rather than the government.
The warm welfare that we need cannot continue without growth. Sustainable development is possible only when growth and welfare create a fair and virtuous cycle.
We will provide extensive support for high-tech innovation in order for Korea to become a leading science and technology nation, and put the Korean economy, which is experiencing ultra-low growth, back on the growth trajectory once again.
With the results of our growth, we will embrace our neighbors in need and the socially disadvantaged more warmly so that no one is left behind. We will implement a digital platform government so that public decision making can be based on data in a scientific and rational manner.
By initiating two-way communication between the government and the people, we will not only advance digital democracy but also usher in an era of truly personalized welfare.
In addition, we will actively share the pain of the self-employed individuals and small business owners who have been pushed to the brink due to Covid-19 and prepare thoroughly for the future. We will also implement institutional reforms in our society so that we can respond preemptively to a future pandemic crisis. We will stand on the side of the people and take stern measures against corruption that threatens democracy regardless of who is involved in the corruption, and we will firmly uphold the rule of law that is applied fairly to all Koreans. Above all, we will create a safe Republic of Korea that puts people’s lives and safety first.
Fellow Koreans, we also face the task of strengthening our global diplomatic capabilities amid the growing nuclear threat from North Korea and the tensions of the strategic competition between the United States and China. In order to protect the safety, property, territory, and sovereignty of the people, we will build a strong national defense force that can reliably deter any provocations. We will deal with North Korea’s illegal and unreasonable behavior decisively, according to our principles, but we will always leave the door open for inter-Korean dialogue. With dignified diplomacy and strong security, we will be reborn as a pivotal country that contributes to the world’s freedom, peace, and prosperity.
We will strengthen the comprehensive strategic alliance by rebuilding the Korea-US alliance and sharing the core values of liberal democracy, market economy, and human rights. We will develop mutually respectful Korea-China relations and build a future-oriented Korea-Japan relationship. We will strengthen our economy, security, and diplomacy by building a global cooperation network specialized for each region. We will make Korea a respected country that fulfills its roles and responsibilities in the international community.
Fellow Koreans, politics for the people, politics that protects people’s livelihoods, and politics that prioritizes the national interest cannot be achieved through the efforts of the president and the ruling party alone. We will communicate with the National Assembly and cooperate with the opposition parties. We will openly communicate with the people about the government’s current issues. I will not hide behind my advisors, and I will openly confess the government’s mistakes. I will be honest with you about practical difficulties and seek your understanding.
Fellow Koreans, even as I stand here today, I am reminding myself of the spirit of liberal democracy through fairness and common sense and the constitutional spirit of the rule of law. Together with you, we will create a freer and fairer Republic of Korea, a country where our children are happy and our young people can realize their dreams.
If the Yoon Suk-yeol administration fails to ease your pain and comfort your hearts, or fails to repay your trust, please rebuke us sternly. We will not lose our original intention and will only look toward you with a humble attitude. We will always be on the side of the people.
I will be an honest president in the eyes of the people, and we will be an honest administration that does not deceive the people. Thank you.
[2]— Yoon Suk-yeol, South Korean presidential-elect, March 10, 2022.
Later that same day, Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party of Korea’s presidential candidate, gave his concession speech and thanked his party politicians, members, and supporters:
First, I would like to say thank you to the full-time workers of our Election Committee, the volunteers, and supporters across the country, as well as all the lawmakers, including the Chairman of the Standing Election Committee Lee Nak-yon, former presidential candidates Chung Sye-kyun, Choo Mi-ae, Kim Doo-kwan, Park Yong-jin, presidential candidate Kim Dong-yeon, party leader Song Young-gil, and general manager Woo Sang-ho. The loss is mine that resulted from my, Lee Jae-myung’s, inadequacy; our election committee, members and supporters of the Democratic Party of Korea did not lose. You did your best and have achieved results, but I lost because I failed to fill the 0.7% gap. All responsibility rests with this poor candidate. My predecessors and Democratic Party supporters, please blame Lee Jae-myung for his shortcomings, but please encourage and praise the others I mentioned. This is how I sincerely feel.
I always believe in the greatness of our people. I think the choice you made now is also an expression of the collective intelligence of our people. In the end, this happened because of my shortcomings; the people’s judgment is always right. I sincerely hope that the next administration will be a successful one that cares for the people, respects the will of the people, adapts to the flow of history, and is assessed for its achievements. Fellow citizens, supporters, and Party members. I fell short. Thank you.
[3]— Lee Jae-myung, Democratic Party of Korea’s presidential candidate, March 10, 2022.
On the same day, Shin Jiye, who had joined Yoon Suk-yeol’s election campaign but resigned after facing criticism and conflicts within the People Power Party, blamed the party leader Lee Jun-seok for Yoon’s narrow winning margin. Lee had claimed earlier that Yoon would win the election by a whopping 10%.
There is no such thing as idaenam or idaenyeo.[4] There are only bad politicians who divide the people by age and gender. Despite the people’s high hopes for a change in government, Candidate Yoon Suk-yeol won the election by only a hair’s breadth, because of women’s anxiety about the hatred and attacks provoked by party leader Lee Jun-seok.
As much as it was a difficult victory, I ask the president-elect Yoon Suk-yeol to please listen to the expectations of the people and create a country where everyone can live together with hope. Please create a world where women and the socially disadvantaged can spend their days in peace.
There is one big task in Korean politics. We need to break free from the political grammar that feeds off hate. With the power of unity and harmony, let’s get rid of hatred and divisive politics. I hope that the political grammar of cooperation, rather than winner-takes-all, will grow strong for those in need in this pandemic era.
[5]— Shin Jiye, founder of the Korean Women’s Politics Network, March 10, 2022.
In addition, as the two main candidates have each been mired in various controversies over the past few years, petitions popped up on the Cheong Wa Dae website immediately after the election. Some asked for a thorough investigation into Lee Jae-myung’s scandals, while others asked for an investigation into the controversy surrounding Yoon and his family.
Candidate Yoon Suk-yeol has been elected as the 20th president. However, suspicions about him and his wife are not going away.
In the case of a presidential candidate and their family, even a strand of hair or a speck of dust is subject to inspection and verification. So, it is unbelievable that Yoon was elected as president without proper verification and investigation despite the suspicions.
If President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol is truly to become a leader who will serve the people and the country, we need at least a certain level of investigation into the suspicions that were raised, even though he is now the president-elect.
Is this the fairness and common sense that President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol proclaimed? As a citizen, I cannot accept this situation.
When it comes to the special prosecution of the Daejang-dong scandal, the ruling party is determined to push forward with the investigation even after the election.
However, on this matter, President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol, has not provided a proper answer or comment, believing that it will all just go away. As one of the people of South Korea, I cannot accept or understand how it is possible for such a person to become the 20th president.
A thorough investigation should be carried out even of President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol, regarding the suspicions surrounding the inadequate investigation into Busan Savings Bank, and of his wife Kim Kun-hee regarding the stock price manipulation scandal.
Receiving legal punishment if necessary, he must not forget that the president-elect is also one of the people.
[6]— Petitioner, March 11, 2022.
There have been no loud voices demanding a recount or claiming that this was a fraudulent election. President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol will be inaugurated as the next president of South Korea on May 10.
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