[Inside Chodong] The Call for "Lee Jae-myung Gets Things Done" Must Resound Again

"I sometimes ponder why I am involved in politics." The speech given by President Lee Jae-myung at Seongnam's Sangdaewon Market on January 24, 2022, encapsulated the essence of his politics and life. He shared a childhood story, explaining that his motivation for entering politics was to create a fair world for people suffering from the pain of frustration and despair.

In the early hours of February 23, 1976, as sleet was falling, a family, searching for a home to rent, climbed a hill. It was such a rundown neighborhood that the roads were muddy enough to pull shoes off one's feet. His father worked hard as a cleaning laborer. His mother contributed to the family by managing public restrooms. Life was tough, and the light of hope was dim. Young Lee Jae-myung could not enter middle school and had to start work at a factory. That boy eventually became a political leader and returned to the very place marked by childhood memories.

"Don’t we all want a world where everyone can prosper together, where no one is so discouraged that they want to give up on life, and where, if you work hard, you believe opportunities and success are possible for you too?"

There are speeches that deeply move their audience, and that day's speech was one of them. At the moment when a politician's words resonate, people embrace the politician's success as their own hope and feel a shared destiny. Those who hoped for Lee Jae-myung’s success may have dreamed of a drama: a poor boy escaping the pit of despair, rekindling the flames of hope, and ultimately becoming president.

Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung is wiping away tears during an impromptu speech at the "Metaverse Seongnam, Into the Minds of the People!" event held on the afternoon of January 24, 2022, at Sangdaewon Market, Jungwon District, Seongnam City, Gyeonggi Province. Photo by Yonhap News

More than three years after his speech at Sangdaewon Market, he went on to become the President of the Republic of Korea. At a press conference marking his 100th day in office, he said, "One hour of the president's time is worth the 52 million hours of the 52 million people." This was a pledge to dedicate every second to improving the lives of his citizens. In practice, he lives by sacrificing sleep as he strives to resolve the numerous pressing issues facing the country, both domestically and abroad.

His commitment to hard work has not changed over time. However, the way he is viewed by the public has shifted considerably. The supporters who once hoped he would become a successful president and showed unwavering support now seem to have grown distant. Some question whether this is the Lee Jae-myung they once knew. Misunderstandings give rise to more misunderstandings, and conspiracy theories take root, widening divisions.

It is no longer surprising to see his approval rating hovering in the 30% range in regular Realmeter polls. President Lee's political asset was not just his policies or organization, but the deeply held belief that "Lee Jae-myung gets things done." What is now faltering is precisely that trust. The erosion of credibility is a much more serious problem than the numerical decline reflected in polling data.

The solution to this tangled situation may well lie in his speech at Sangdaewon Market. The most important task is to recover a spirit true to "Lee Jae-myung-ness," which means meeting the public's expectations through results. What led President Lee Jae-myung to where he is today was the belief among the people that, if given a task, he would deliver. Proving that this trust was not misplaced is the surest way to restore his governing momentum.

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