Cheong Wa Dae's untimely arrogance

President Moon Jae-in, center, arrive at the National Assembly, July 16, to deliver a speech to mark the opening of the 21st National Assembly. Courtesy of Cheong Wa Dae

By Do Je-hae

“Before my inauguration, I visited the four opposition parties first, and I invited the party and floor leaders to Cheong Wa Dae for talks 10 times during the 20th National Assembly. I also convened a tripartite standing consultative committee involving the government and both the ruling and opposition parties.”

Which president said these words?

The remarks were made by President Moon Jae-in in his speech during the inaugural ceremony of the 21st National Assembly, July 16.

Considering the cold relations between Cheong Wa Dae and the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), many find it hard to believe how forward President Moon seemed toward embracing the opposition at the beginning of his presidency.

The recent climate in Korean politics is far from the “cooperative governance” Moon preached during his encounters with the Assembly.

Recently, PPP floor leader Rep. Joo Ho-young requested a meeting with Moon on Dec. 9 amid the controversy over the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK)'s railroading of controversial bills, including the revision bill on the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials (CIO). Joo said he wanted to hear the President's position on some of the biggest political issues, including the conflict between Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae and Prosecutor-General Yoon Seok-youl over prosecutorial reform. The request came a day before the revision bill was passed at the National Assembly's plenary session on Dec. 10.

Kim Chong-in, interim leader of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), right, and PPP floor leader Rep. Joo Ho-young leave after a press conference to denounce the ruling Democratic Party of Korea's railroading of controversial bills. Cheong Wa Dae has been unenthusiastic about their requests to meet with the President in recent months. Yonhap

Cheong Wa Dae flatly refused the request, saying Joo unilaterally requested the presidential office for political affairs to respond to a date that he wanted. “The PPP is trying to force the President into a situation that needs to be resolved by political parties,” a presidential aide told reporters, Dec. 10, after the passage of the revision bill for the CIO. “The first-term lawmakers and the floor leader of the PPP have made political attacks on Cheong Wa Dae non-stop. No matter how patient we tried to be with them, we have determined that the request from Joo cannot be considered an attempt at a sincere dialogue on pending issues.”

The aide's remarks are seen to underline that the President is not responsible for the current political impasse, but that is not what the people think, according to analysts. “In our presidential system, the President is responsible for everything, especially when things go wrong,” Shin Yul, a professor at Myongji University, told The Korea Times. “The President must show respect toward public opinion and show that he is responsible.”

The presidential office has also been unenthusiastic about Moon meeting with Kim Chong-in, the interim leader of the PPP.

“Each time, we promised cooperative governance in front of the people, but failed to deliver. It takes two to tango, and the same goes for cooperative governance. The 21st National Assembly must rise above the politics of confrontation and hostility and usher in an era of cooperative governance. In the face of global crisis and the upheaval of the post COVID-19 era, cooperative governance assumes even greater importance.” Moon also made these remarks on the need for cooperative governance during the inaugural speech at the Assembly five months ago.

Reps. An Byung-gil, left, and Kim Yeung-shik, first-term lawmakers of the main opposition People Power Party, hold a protest in front of Cheong Wa Dae, Dec. 3. An is holding a sign that denounces President Moon Jae-in's silence on a series of issues that have raised intense social and political division. Yonhap

But now, these words sound hollow. Can Cheong Wa Dae and the President really say they are wholeheartedly doing their part for cooperative governance?

Many people believe that the President is not showing the kind of responsible leadership expected of the President in a time of crisis on various fronts. The latest survey showing record-low support ratings for Moon is a strong indication of the people's loss of trust in the President and his party. Cheong Wa Dae's arrogance and disregard for the opposition will not be helpful for reviving the people's trust and tackling the difficulties that lie ahead in the twilight of Moon's presidency.