National Assembly opens in discord with 'costume' politics

Democratic Party lawmakers in hanbok (traditional Korean dress) and People Power Party lawmakers in black mourning attire sing the national anthem during the opening ceremony of the regular National Assembly session in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Sept. 1. [YONHAP]

 
The first regular session of the National Assembly under the Lee Jae Myung administration began on Monday. Lawmakers face 100 days of urgent tasks to address the economy and public concerns, but the opening ceremony was overshadowed by spectacle.
 
Speaker Woo Won-shik had suggested through social media that lawmakers wear hanbok (traditional Korean clothing), saying it would showcase Korean culture to both citizens and the world. Most Democratic Party (DP) members complied and entered the chamber in traditional attire. People Power Party (PPP) lawmakers arrived instead in black suits with black ties, wearing ribbons reading “Mourning Parliamentary Democracy.” The sight of lawmakers singing the national anthem, some in hanbok and others in mourning dress, left many questioning whether governance had given way to performance.
 
The PPP's gesture of attending in mourning attire was a disservice to the public. Yet the DP and government also bear responsibility. Months of unilateral action have driven the opposition to extremes. President Lee Jae Myung declared in his inaugural address that "unity is the measure of competence." He has proposed talks with new People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok, and shown some willingness to engage. But the DP's posture often contradicts that of the president. DP leader Jung Chung-rae compared the current situation to the post-liberation purge of collaborators, a comment that reveals little interest in cooperation. Expecting him to build consensus is unrealistic.
 

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Hard-liners within the liberal camp are also turning on moderates. During discussions on prosecutorial reform, Minister of Justice Jung Sung-ho suggested granting investigative authority to a charging unit, prompting DP Rep. Min Hyung-bae to accuse him of going too far. Lim Eun-jung, promoted to chief prosecutor under this administration, even denounced Jung and Presidential Senior Secretary Bong Wook as part of the "five enemies of reform." Such rhetoric evokes images of revolutionary zealots wielding unchecked power.
 
In his opening speech, Speaker Woo again called for constitutional revision, describing it as urgent. Although the PPP controls just 107 seats, its support is essential to achieve such reform. Given the current state of relations, such cooperation seems unlikely. If the DP continues its unilateral course, the speaker must provide a check.
 
The clash of hanbok and mourning clothes may fade as a passing embarrassment. Yet failure to achieve constitutional reform would leave the 22nd Assembly remembered as one that ignored the public’s desire to overcome unproductive, adversarial politics. For both President Lee’s pledge of unity and Speaker Woo’s ambition for reform, this regular session must take a different course. The demand for a legislature that rises above factional battles to shape the nation’s future can no longer be deferred.


This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.