Cho Kyungtae: "Respect for the Head of State Is Fundamental, Regardless of Party" [Current Affairs Show]

[Interview] Cho Kyung-tae, People Power Party Six-Term Lawmaker
"Han Dong-hoon's Return to the Party Will Be Difficult Under Jang Dong-hyeok's Leadership"
"It Is Only Right for President Lee to Stand Trial After Leaving Office"
"Conservatives Cannot Take Power Without Clearing Out the Yoon Again Forces"

Cho Kyung-tae: There was a similar incident in 2013. I was a member of the Democratic Party, and then-President Park Geun-hye came to deliver a policy speech, but nobody stood up. So I stood up by myself. This time, the roles have been completely reversed. This time, it was the People Power Party, not the Democratic Party, that put on the appalling spectacle of all its members walking out. What is really interesting is that when Chinese President Hu Jintao visited the National Assembly, lawmakers from both the ruling and opposition parties stood up and gave him a standing ovation. And a few years ago, President Trump came to Korea and delivered a speech at the National Assembly. The ruling and opposition parties both gave him a standing ovation then, too.

Why do we show that kind of respect to heads of state from other countries but not to the president of our own country? It looks ridiculous. Whether it is the Democratic Party or the People Power Party, I hope the public will give them a stern scolding over this. I showed respect when I was in the Democratic Party, and I did the same when I was in the People Power Party. It is sad, and frankly embarrassing, that I was the only one among the 300 lawmakers to do so.

■ Program: The Asia Business Daily's "So Jong-seob's Current Affairs Show" (Monday-Friday, 4 p.m.)

■ Host: So Jong-seob, Political Specialist ■ Producer: Lee Miri, PD

■ Guest: Cho Kyung-tae, People Power Party lawmaker (November 5)

※ When quoting this article, you must credit "So Jong-seob's Current Affairs Show."

So Jong-seob: Hello, everyone. Welcome to So Jong-seob's Current Affairs Show. Today, we'll be interviewing Assemblyman Cho Kyung-tae.Welcome, Assemblyman Cho.

Cho Kyung-tae: Yes, hello.

So Jong-seob: You are a six-term lawmaker, the most experienced member of the National Assembly. You represent Busan's Saha B constituency, which is known as a strong electoral base. You are also a lawmaker who speaks out regardless of party affiliation. The special prosecutor bill on fabricated indictments has been placed on the National Assembly's plenary session agenda.

It is only right that the president stand trial after leaving office

Cho Kyung-tae: The Democratic Party, as the majority party, is putting excessive pressure on the judiciary. From the perspective of the separation of powers, that does not look good. Fundamentally, if the president has committed a crime, shouldn't he pay the price? I am talking about the constitutional principle that the law must be equal for everyone.

President Lee Jae-myung is currently in office, so he should be able to serve his term without disruption. Regardless of whether people like or dislike him personally, in the national interest, I hope he governs well during his five-year term. Once he leaves office, the trials that were suspended should, of course, resume. Isn't that the right thing to do? And isn't a trial the way to determine the facts and establish who is right and who is wrong? If he is guilty, he will be convicted; if he is not guilty, he will be acquitted. I don't think it is appropriate for the Democratic Party to try to force its position on this too aggressively.

So Jong-seob: So you are saying that the right thing to do is for him to stand trial after leaving office and abide by the verdict. On November 2, President Lee Jae-myung came to the National Assembly and delivered a policy speech on the budget. All the People Power Party lawmakers walked out, but you were the only one who stayed. A photograph of President Lee coming over to shake your hand appeared in nearly every media outlet. Why did you stay behind instead of walking out?

People Power Party lawmaker Cho Kyungtae is being interviewed on “So Jongseop’s Current Affairs Show,” a YouTube channel of The Asia Business Daily, on the 5th.

Cho Kyung-tae: There was a similar incident in 2013. I was a member of the Democratic Party, and then-President Park Geun-hye came to deliver a policy speech, but nobody stood up. So I stood up by myself. This time, the roles have been completely reversed. This time, it was the People Power Party, not the Democratic Party, that put on the appalling spectacle of all its members walking out. What is really interesting is that when Chinese President Hu Jintao visited the National Assembly, lawmakers from both the ruling and opposition parties stood up and gave him a standing ovation. And a few years ago, President Trump came to Korea and delivered a speech at the National Assembly. The ruling and opposition parties both gave him a standing ovation then, too.

Why do we show that kind of respect to heads of state from other countries but not to the president of our own country? It looks ridiculous. Whether it is the Democratic Party or the People Power Party, I hope the public will give them a stern scolding over this. I showed respect when I was in the Democratic Party, and I did the same when I was in the People Power Party. It is sad, and frankly embarrassing, that I was the only one among the 300 lawmakers to do so.

Why show respect to heads of state from other countries but not to our own president?

So Jong-seob: Have you ever said to your fellow lawmakers, "Let's do this. Isn't this the right thing to do?"

Cho Kyung-tae: Do I have to tell them? Even elementary school students these days know how to behave properly. Lawmakers seem to lack even the basics. And yet, why do they walk around wearing their National Assembly badges, acting as if they're so important and saying, "I'm a lawmaker"? I think this is a serious problem. If President Trump had delivered a speech to the National Assembly, every single People Power Party lawmaker would have applauded enthusiastically. The president is the head of state and represents the country. And he came to the legislature, didn't he? In a way, lawmakers are the hosts in the legislature. The people are, too. Is this how you treat a guest?

So Jong-seob: What else do you think needs to change in South Korea's political culture?

Rep. Cho Kyung-tae (right) emphasized in an interview with political specialist So Jong-seob, "Conservatives can renew themselves only by clearing out the Yoon Again forces."

Cho Kyung-tae: There is no consistency, and there is no sense of justice. For example, if former President Yoon Suk Yeol says the December 3 emergency martial law was wrong, he should show it through his actions, not just apologize verbally. Isn't that right? Is it Jang Dong-hyeok, the party leader? What's interesting is that he says the emergency martial law was wrong, illegal and unconstitutional, but then says there should be no impeachment. What kind of logic is that? Illegal martial law is a more serious crime than murder. Isn't that how it works under criminal law? The minimum sentence for the ringleader of an insurrection is life imprisonment, and the maximum is the death penalty, isn't it? It is the most serious crime under criminal law. So he committed that crime, but he shouldn't be impeached? What kind of logic is that? I wish someone would explain that logic to me. If someone commits a heinous murder, does that mean they shouldn't be held accountable? What kind of logic is that? That's exactly what the People Power Party is doing now. I don't think the People Power Party has ever sincerely apologized for former President Yoon Suk Yeol's December 3 emergency martial law. The public needs to understand that clearly. I don't think the Democratic Party has done a good job, either.

So Jong-seob: President Lee Jae-myung came over and shook your hand, didn't he? What did he say?

Cho Kyung-tae: That's a secret.

I shared a huge secret with the president as we shook hands

So Jong-seob: I doubt it was a huge secret.

Cho Kyung-tae: It was a huge secret.

So Jong-seob: Really?

Cho Kyung-tae: If I give you a little of the story, I think I said, "Anyway, you've worked hard governing the country."

So Jong-seob: What did the president say in response?

President Lee Jae-myung shakes hands with People Power Party lawmaker Cho Kyung-tae after delivering his address on the 2027 budget bill at the National Assembly on the 2nd. [National Assembly Photojournalists Group] Yonhap News Agency

Cho Kyung-tae: Couldn't you read it from his expression? We're not enemies, are we? We live as fellow citizens under the same system. We're not enemies. Our enemies are over there, across the border.

So Jong-seob: Yes, North Korea.

Cho Kyung-tae: We aren't hostile enemies who are going to fight each other with guns. We shake hands even with those we oppose. Didn't President Park Geun-hye shake hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping back then? Do you remember?

So Jong-seob: She went to the military parade, too.

Our politics lacks the basics. The National Assembly must become a world-class legislature

Cho Kyung-tae: That's why I think our politics lacks even the basics. It seems people have learned politics the wrong way. We may sometimes fight among ourselves. But we should do so while maintaining respect and dignity. I think that's important for the public, and young people are watching us, too. Students are watching, and the National Assembly is a place of learning. I hope the National Assembly will mature and become a world-class legislature.

So Jong-seob: That's true. Was it October 9 last month? I remember seeing you pay your respects at former President Roh Moo-hyun's grave and talk about a politics of tolerance and cooperation that goes beyond conflict and confrontation. You also said you planned to visit former President Park Chung-hee's grave. You haven't gone yet, have you?

Cho Kyung-tae: No. Now that the parliamentary audit is over, I think I can take my time. In any case, the key point for me is that former President Roh Moo-hyun was one of the people I loved most, and...

So Jong-seob: Right. You were his aide at first, weren't you?

Rep. Cho Kyungtae of the People Power Party remains in his seat after President Lee Jaemyung delivered a policy speech on the 2027 budget bill and fund management plan at the National Assembly on the 2nd. Yonhap News Agency

Cho Kyung-tae: There's an anecdote about that, too. He asked me to help out, so I worked with him for about a year. Even before that, I had known former President Roh since before he became a lawmaker. During the 1988 National Assembly election, I was a third-year university student. I volunteered for him for about a month, then returned to school and went on to pursue my master's and doctoral degrees. In 1996, I happened to meet him again in the same party, the Little Democratic Party, and stayed with him from then until he passed away. Since I learned politics from him, I learned the basics of politics, or perhaps I should say, how to practice politics with a sense of decency. It was also something my mother taught me. Former President Roh practiced a politics of tolerance. We all have our own flaws and faults, as do the groups we belong to. The other side and its group have flaws and faults, too. I learned that we should show generosity toward the other side, while holding our own side to high standards and showing greater tolerance toward the opposing camp. That is integration. I believe it is the first step toward integration. The Democratic Party needs to put this into practice, not just hang up a portrait of former President Roh. That's what I learned. The Democratic Party is like that, and the People Power Party is even worse.

Holding our own side to high standards and showing tolerance to the other side is the first step toward integration

Two People Power Party presidents have been impeached in the past 10 years. That has caused the public tremendous stress and disappointment, and it was a grave wrongdoing.

But the party doesn't seem ashamed of it. It doesn't seem sorry, either. What's remarkable is that there are still people who support the People Power Party. When the public supports us, we should be grateful. But looking at the People Power Party now, it takes that support for granted. It doesn't seem to feel sorry for the fact that two presidents from our party have been impeached. Hasn't the politics of decency and conscience collapsed?

So Jong-seob: After you paid your respects at former President Roh Moo-hyun's grave, was it Democratic Party district council members from Saha B who held a press conference opposing your rejoining the party? What do you think about the speculation that shaking hands with President Lee Jae-myung and visiting former President Roh's grave are steps toward returning to the Democratic Party?

Cho Kyung-tae: I hope people who speculate like that will put their hands on their hearts and take a good look at the path I've taken. I haven't lived my life as a political opportunist, the way they seem to suggest. In 1996, when I was 28, I ran as a Democratic Party candidate in Busan. Could you imagine doing that? One reason former President Roh liked me so much was that he said, "Chairman Cho could have taken the comfortable path as a PhD, but he chose to enter the rough world of politics in Busan for a party that couldn't win. It was really difficult back then. I couldn't win, either. Seeing him take that difficult path as a Democrat was impressive." I thought he was a truly wonderful person. Commentators and politicians tend to overthink things. They should just take what I say at face value.

Rep. Cho Kyung-tae denied rumors that he would join the Democratic Party, saying, "I have not lived my life as a political opportunist."

Is he on the path to joining the Democratic Party? "I haven't lived my life as a political opportunist"

So Jong-seob: The People Power Party's ethics committee suspended your party membership for two years and six months, didn't it?

Cho Kyung-tae: Here's another interesting question. Should someone who abetted an insurrection become a vice speaker of the National Assembly? I was disciplined for asking that.

So Jong-seob: If the current People Power Party leadership remains in place, wouldn't it be difficult for you to run in the next general election?

Cho Kyung-tae: Why would it be difficult? In that case, I'd be a free agent. I'd be freer. Did I get elected to six terms because of my party? The great people of Saha elected me. And was my choice wrong? Isn't it absolutely right to say that someone who abetted an insurrection should not become vice speaker of the National Assembly? The People Power Party lawmakers who chose him were the ones who were wrong. Isn't that right? I believe political parties should serve the people. And the Democratic Party hasn't got its act together, either. It took power easily after former President Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached. If so, it should wield that power with great care, debate fiercely, consult the public, and govern as close to perfectly as possible. In my eyes, it is falling well short.

So Jong-seob: What do you find most disappointing or worthy of criticism about the Democratic Party?

The Democratic Party is falling far short on the economy, national security and foreign policy. It must not make the public question its judgment

Cho Kyung-tae: There are several things. There's housing policy, and then there's the very weak domestic economy. The semiconductor industry is creating an illusion of strength: only the semiconductor industry is doing well, while the rest of the industries are in terrible shape. It's even worse outside the capital region. The question is, do they know about this? And if they do, why aren't they fixing it? I believe the government needs to reflect in its policymaking how difficult life is for people in South Korea today, including how hard things are for small business owners, as well as for future generations.

Then there's our alliance with the United States and our relationship with North Korea. North Korea considers us its main enemy, so why can't we call it our main enemy? We're not keeping watch on Japan, are we? North Korea is our main enemy. This isn't an ideological issue. Hasn't Kim Jong Un already said as much? If so, we should show that we have a stronger commitment to national security, one that reassures the public and leaves no room for doubt.

Kim Minseok, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, speaks at a Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly on the 6th. Yonhap News Agency

So Jong-seob: You mean the ruling party needs to provide a sense of stability.

Cho Kyung-tae: The Democratic Party is falling far short on the economy, national security and foreign policy. I think the public's disappointment with the ruling Democratic Party is becoming increasingly evident in these areas. I hope it will do better.

So Jong-seob: There's been a lot of discussion about Oh Se-hoon, Jang Dong-hyeok and Han Dong-hoon. How do you see the future of the conservative camp?

It will be difficult for conservatives to take power without clearing out the Yoon Again forces

Cho Kyung-tae: Well, if you try to build something on a weak foundation, will it last even if you manage to take power? I don't think it will have the support it needs. The aftershocks of former President Yoon Suk Yeol's December 3 emergency martial law are still being felt. The Yoon Again forces are still around, aren't they? If we take power without properly reflecting on and completely clearing up the past, it will be difficult to win in the first place. And even if we do, what would it mean? What is the biggest reason we seek to take power? To help the people live well, reassure them, unite them and move the country toward the future. But while those remnants remain, can we truly unite the people? Unless we resolve that problem first, it will be difficult for conservatives to renew themselves or take power. And they shouldn't take power. I believe that would be a grave historical sin. The Yoon Again forces must be cleared out completely.

Some far-right figures even call me a traitor. Do I have any reason to suck up to the president or pledge my loyalty to him? The people I must be loyal to are the public and the residents of Saha. I have not the slightest intention of pledging loyalty to the president. And if the president goes astray, I should fight on behalf of the people. That's my philosophy.

So Jong-seob: Assemblyman Kim Tae-ho said the party should accept Assemblyman Han Dong-hoon's return in a magnanimous gesture. What do you think?

Cho Kyung-tae: The party is in disarray, and Jang Dong-hyeok is its leader. Another interesting thing about him is that I ran for party leader, too. I came in first in the public opinion polls. In the end, the party members pushed me down to third place, right? When four of us were running, a broadcaster asked what we would do if we lost the local elections, and whether we would resign. All four of us said yes. That was a promise to the public and to party members. Yet the People Power Party has put a liar like that forward as its leader. Those people have taken control of our party, haven't they? In this situation, it won't be easy for Han to return. The controversy will just keep growing. Han Dong-hoon cannot return to the party unless Jang Dong-hyeok steps down.

It will be difficult for Han Dong-hoon to return to the party under Jang Dong-hyeok's leadership

So Jong-seob: Have you considered playing a role in helping Assemblyman Han return to the party?

Cho Kyung-tae: Who holds the key? The party leader does, doesn't he? If the leader says no, it can't happen. In the past, at least people had a conscience and resigned on their own after losing an election, didn't they? Hwang Kyo-ahn had somewhat far-right leanings, but he stepped down, too. Jang Dong-hyeok could learn from that. I don't know why he keeps learning about election fraud instead. He should learn something good. He's still talking about election fraud. If there had been election fraud, would Mayor Oh Se-hoon have become mayor of Seoul this time?

So Jong-seob: President Lee Jae-myung has been active on social media lately, and he also has a YouTube program called "The President's Y." How do you assess his governance, including his communication?

Cho Kyung-tae: Isn't he opening every channel available to him to communicate with the public? But we don't live in a dictatorship. We're not in an autocratic state. This isn't a case of the king unilaterally deciding what to do. We're a democracy. The most important thing in a democracy is two-way communication between politicians or the president and the public, including those who disagree with them. If only one side expresses its views, that's a one-way street. So even if he uses YouTube, there will be plenty of critical voices. How will he make space for them? How will he respond to them? He shouldn't keep trying to explain them away. If he hears an opinion and says, "I see, that's what people think," he should be willing to accept it. Otherwise, it would be better to hold back a little on using YouTube or X.

The president is the head of state. The public has the right to criticize him. The question is how he responds to that criticism. He needs to explain how he will use it to make improvements. If he is doing this just to get praise, then he can leave that to his passionate supporters. He should consider how much criticism he is actually willing to accept. If he does that, using those channels is not a bad idea.

So Jong-seob: Thank you for your thoughts.

Cho Kyung-tae: Thank you.

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