Quoting Max Weber, President Lee: "The Ruling Party Must Focus on Responsibility, Not Conviction, and Serve the People, Not Its Own Bloc"

During State Visit to Italy, President Lee Shares Message on Social Media
"Opposition Should Check and Challenge, Ruling Party Must Embrace Inclusion and Integration"
"The Lives of 52 Million Citizens at Stake... We Must Look Bigger, Broader, an

During his state visit to Italy, President Lee Jae-myung stated on June 13 that the ruling Democratic Party should "focus more on the language of responsibility rather than the language of conviction." He emphasized that since the ruling party has already been delegated authority by the people, it must take responsibility for national governance through the outcomes of policy decisions and implementation, rather than through slogans or assertions. This message is interpreted as a call for inclusivity, unity, and results from the ruling bloc amid ongoing political confrontation.

President Lee Jae-myung is speaking at a business roundtable held at a hotel in Rome, Italy on the 12th (local time). June 13, 2026 Yonhap News Agency

On this day, President Lee published a post titled "The Ruling Party, the Opposition Party, and Political Responsibility" on X (formerly Twitter), stating, "The ruling party has already succeeded in gaining power; with the official authority granted, it can realize its values and beliefs not through claims but through action. In return, it must take full responsibility for the nation's future and the lives of all its people."

President Lee contrasted the roles of the ruling and opposition parties. He emphasized, "While it is important for the opposition to monitor, check, and criticize the ruling party and government, the ruling party should prioritize the ability to take responsibility with the power it has been given, demonstrate achievements, and promote inclusivity and unity." He further added, "The ruling party must not abandon its convictions, but should focus more on the 'language of responsibility' rather than the language of conviction."

President Lee cited Max Weber's qualities essential for politicians: ▲ passion for cause ▲ responsibility for consequences ▲ a sense of balance between reality and ideals. He stressed, "For politicians, 'the ethics of responsibility,' which involves anticipating outcomes and being accountable for them, is more important than 'the ethics of conviction,' which emphasizes good intentions while disregarding results." He added that former President Kim Dae-jung's notion of "the conscience of a scholar and the pragmatism of a merchant" aligns with this view.

President Lee pointed out, "A realist without ideals becomes an opportunist who pursues only immediate gains, while an idealist without a sense of reality becomes an ineffective agitator focused solely on division without solutions." He continued, "If politics insists only on ideals while ignoring the constraints of reality and human limitations, it leads to dogmatism and factionalism; if it loses its ideals, it degenerates into mere power maintenance."

He also stressed that the role of the ruling bloc should be centered on execution with a cool-headed sense of balance, not on slogans or assertions. President Lee stated, "The passion of the ruling party should be directed not at 'our camp' but at 'the entire people,' and it must play the role of a 'large vessel' that adjusts conflict and minimizes resistance through ongoing dialogue and communication, rather than confrontation and exclusion." President Lee further remarked, "If strong power is necessary, a vast ocean that embraces and purifies everything is preferable to a torrent that sweeps everything away. And if it becomes inevitable to break through and move forward, do not forget to extend care and empathy to those who are left behind."

He reiterated the need to take unlimited responsibility for outcomes with an inclusive and open-minded attitude. President Lee emphasized, "If you have already come to power by the people's mandate, you must devote your greatest passion to the public good rather than private interests, while harmonizing reality and ideals with the coldest sense of balance. You must overcome obstacles and difficulties and assume unlimited responsibility for the results."

He went on to say, "Right now, the fate of this country and the lives of 52 million people are in our hands. Let us look bigger, wider, and further, and move forward with more of the people." He added, "If, through competition, we have come to represent the whole by winning with the strength of a part, then inclusivity and openness for all are now essential."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.