Two mayors hoping for political presence

When former President Park Chung-hee declared martial law to push for the Yushin system in 1972, his regime put the hawkish group of opposition party politicians in prison and the dovish group under house arrest under the supervision by soldiers. No single soldier was found, however, near the house of Yoo Jin-san, the leader of the opposition Shinmin Party. He called to somewhere, saying, “Hey, are you really going to make me a ‘big Sakura’? Don’t you know politics? Why is there no guard around my house?” The bigwig of the opposition camp was labelled “Sakura,” meaning a politician currying favor with the dictatorial regime.

Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon said Tuesday at the World Cities Summit in Singapore, “I’m similar to former President Kim Dae-jung in human rights and Singapore's founding father Lee Kuan Yew in leadership.” He knows how to win the hearts and minds of the Singaporean people by praising the leadership of Lee who is respected by Singaporeans. However, it is rather bothering to see him compare himself with the heads of the state. Whenever he gets chances, Mayor Park tries to put himself in the group of presidential candidates.

Meanwhile, Seongnam Mayor Lee Jae-myung ran advertisements titled “Four lies by the Interior Minister yon the first page of some newspapers. He seemingly tried to denounce the ministry’s revision of the enforcement decree of the Local Finance Act. It is his second offensive following his 10-day hunger strike in the Gwanghwamun Square. Although the intention is right in that it addresses the gap among different local finances, the head of the local government would feel frustrated as he loses over 100 billion won of taxpayers’ money. While fighting on behalf of six cities in the similar circumstances, he has been recognized on the national level by increasing his public awareness as a “fighter” to the extent where he can try out for the leadership of the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea.

The leaders of both ruling and opposition parties are expected to be replaced in the upcoming party conventions and the leader of the Republic of Korea will be changed next year. Potential candidates claim that they have capabilities and experiences qualified for the 21st century. However, Seoul Mayor Park who compared himself to Lee Kuan Yew and Kim Dae-jung failed to see his ground collapse just like the recent tragic accident in Guui Station. He is good at opposing the central government while being populist. Though he might be better than “Sakura” politicians, populist politicians are also far from the leader that this era really needs.