For a better society

By Cho Jae-hyon

Who will win the presidential race among the three main contenders ― Park Geun-hye, Moon Jae-in and Ahn Cheol-soo? With the election day just two months away, the answer is up to you ― it’s all about who you are going to vote for.

Five years ago, we picked Lee Myung-bak as our leader, hoping the former construction company CEO would at least make us more affluent.

Are we better off now than a half decade ago? The question is unlikely to draw consenting nods from the people because most of Lee’s rosy campaign promises proved to be bogus ― if not all.

It’s always the voters who should pay the price for the pick. We often make a choice we will regret later, and end up blaming the leaders for their wrong stewardship. But it’s our choice. Still, we fail to learn a lesson from the unwise choices and tend to keep making regrettable selections.

Why is that? Are voters unwise by nature? Are we collectively incapable of electing a leader who would make us happier? Or has there never been a candidate who delivers what they promised?

If we can’t pick a leader who would live up to our expectations, we should choose a candidate who will disappoint less. And to be disappointed less with our choice, we need to know more exactly what we want from our leader.

President Lee has let us down in many ways. His administration turned out to be incompetent, corrupt and irresponsible. Lee showed us once again how important our choice is. Who takes the helm is crucial in determining the direction our nation is headed toward.

Under his leadership, the nation has been drifting directionless. We didn’t want our President to put all of his energy on shoveling here and there. Lee has made efforts to promote the nation’s brand power, establishing a brand promotional body under Cheong Wa Dae.

However the Presidential Council on Nation Branding did little to boost what it calls “nation branding” which it says refers to “the likeability and credibility of a country.”

Ironically, singer Psy seems to have done more than what the Council has strived to accomplish over the past years ― just in a matter of months with one song. The entertainer’s originality and “free style” created a miraculous, unprecedented global splash.

One of his songs was once condemned as “detrimental” to the youth but this label was lifted last week after he became a global pop sensation.

What the government needs to do for the promotion of Korean pop culture is to establish a freer environment in which entertainers and artists can play as much as they want and express what they want to say in whatever forms they want.

In the bigger picture, we need a more democratic and mature society that is less authoritarian and more generous toward those who are different from us.

The Lee administration has failed to strengthen the nation’s economic fundamentals and steered the country backward in terms of democracy.

We have witnessed the authorities abuse their power, infringe upon people’s basic rights in many cases as highlighted during the illegal surveillance of citizens and suppression of freedom of expression.

As we entrusted the power to the current administration, we are also responsible for the setback.

If we abandon our obligation to safeguarding democracy, we run the risk of turning our nation into a leviathan. It won’t serve us as masters but drive us as slaves.

We, therefore, should keep an unflinching eye on the authorities to make sure that democracy takes a firmer root in every nook and cranny of our society.

Are we now satisfied with our current society? What kind of society do we want to make?

We prefer democracy over autocracy in the belief that it will make our society a better one. What is a better society? It’s one in which people want to live, not one where they want to die. Of course democracy is not a sufficient condition to build a better society but it’s a prerequisite.

We should water and cultivate it, if we want to live in a decent society where we can act and think differently from others without being restricted by anyone. Only within a more democratic society, will the benefits of economic growth trickle down to a broader swath of people.

We won’t be able to have democracy bloom unless we are prepared to choose wisely. With the crucial test approaching, are we ready to make a wise choice this time?