From ghost ships to turtle ships: South Korea’s conservatives need a heroic makeover

There’s a certain smell wafting through the corridors of Korean politics these days, and it’s not the sweet aroma of spring kimchi. No, it’s the stench of a ghost ship — a once-proud conservative vessel, now rotten with barnacles of the past, creaking along the waves and trailing a fog of shame. They’re still dragging around a century-old skeleton in the closet: the "chinil-pa," or pro-Japanese collaborationist legacy.

This baggage just won't go away, no matter how many times you try. If you listen closely, you can almost hear the chains of old collaborators rattling below deck, moaning about “tradition” while the hull leaks legitimacy by the minute.

One can almost envision the Democratic Party of Korea reclining on the dock like sun-soaked vacationers — stirring only occasionally now and then to tap out a tweet about another “historic moment” or “a new beginning” before kicking back again. If only they could muster the energy to read a book or two, they might realize that history doesn’t repeat itself — it just sighs in disappointment.

Let’s be honest: Korea’s conservatives are less the heirs of Admiral Yi Sun-sin and more the crew of a haunted galleon, doomed to sail in circles until someone has the guts to throw the chinil-pa baggage overboard. Every time a scandal breaks or a coup attempt fizzles, the party’s spokespeople emerge like drenched cabin boys, insisting that it is all merely a misunderstanding — never mind the skeletons tap-dancing in the background. For them, the last year has been rough. The failed "self-coup" and impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, the subsequent parade of public outrage for the mess, have left the conservatives' credibility looking about as sturdy as a wet tissue in a monsoon. If there was ever a time for a little self-reflection and maybe a stiff drink, it’s now. Conservatives aren’t just battling today’s scandals.

Younger voters, who know the difference between a hero and a historical footnote, aren’t buying it. They want a party that faces the past, not one that tries to perfume it with empty slogans and recycled apologies. Admiral Yi didn’t win battles by hiding behind old maps — he drew new ones, even if it meant steering straight into the storm.

But before the DPK starts popping champagne, let’s not pretend they’re charting a bold new course. Watching the party strategize is a bit like watching a group of goldfish try to solve a Rubik’s Cube: a lot of circling, not much progress and the occasional glimmer of recognition before someone forgets what they were doing. The DPK is gearing up for its victory lap — they've inherited the wheel, but half the time they seem content to let the ship drift, convinced that the mere absence of a mutiny is proof of good governance. Newsflash — history rewards those who row, not those who nap.

If ever there was a moment to channel the spirit of Admiral Yi, it is now. The man built turtle ships when given nothing but driftwood and skepticism. He didn’t blame the tides or wait for the enemy to get bored — he innovated, rallied his crew and faced the impossible with a bow, an arrow and a plan.

Imagine a conservative party that actually did the hard work of self-cleansing: a commission to drag the skeletons into the sunlight and purge them, a code of ethics that means something, a public apology that doesn’t sound like it was written by chatbot. That’s not just political hygiene — it’s patriotism. So far, the conservatives are sheltering those who sold their nation and betrayed its people. For them, the only way to run the country is by old colonial means — division, bribery and fear — as the courts and prosecution become their weapons of control. For them, martial law is just daily business. But the times and the world have changed. People, especially young ones, don’t see a state and its systems as means to enrich just a few, instead demanding a state that would take care of its people, and that isn’t socialism; it is a modern welfare state.

And imagine liberals who, instead of napping on deck, actually read the navigation charts, learned from past storms and steered the ship toward real reform, especially in the face of U.S. President Donald Trump and China. Maybe they should spend a little less time on social media and a little more time listening to the people who keep the country afloat. If you visit a DPK policy discussion, first hour or two, you’ll hear self-introductions and self-promotions from those staking their name for the next round of elections, and maybe, just maybe, the last quarter of an hour would be dedicated to a policy discussion and a minute or two hearing something sensible. All that must change.

Korean tradition isn’t about preserving the dust of the past — it’s about the spirit and honoring of those who dared to fight and sacrifice for the nation. The real heirs of Yi Sun-sin aren’t the ones who shout the loudest about patriotism, but those who do the quiet, hard work of renewal.

So, conservatives: Scrape the barnacles off, throw the ghostly baggage overboard and build a turtle ship worthy of the storms ahead. And liberals: wake up, crack a book and remember that steering the ship is harder than just not sinking. The nation deserves leaders who are more than haunted by history or lulled by victory. Korea’s future belongs to those who row with courage, steer with wisdom and aren’t afraid to swab the decks when the stench gets too strong.

Eugene Lee (mreulee@gmail.com) is a lecturing professor at the Graduate School of Governance at Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul. Specializing in international relations and governance, his research and teaching focus is on national and regional security, international development, government policies and Northeast and Central Asia. The views expressed in this article are his own.