Ex-President Lee Backs Struggling PPP: 'Public Won't Abandon Us'

In a candid meeting with PPP official Kim Eun-hye, former President Lee Myung-bak offered a message of cautious optimism, asserting that the public's hope in the People Power Party will endure despite the party's current struggles. Kim relayed Lee's words, emphasizing his belief that "the people will not abandon their expectations of the People Power Party until the very end." He urged the party to "coolly assess the reality and strive to win the election."

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The people will not abandon their expectations of the People Power Party until the very end. Please realistically assess the situation and strive to win the election.

This encouragement comes at a critical juncture for the PPP, which has seen its approval ratings plummet to a historic low of 15%. Recent polls, including one conducted by NBS from May 20-22, reveal a deeply concerning trend: the Democratic Party is now leading the PPP in the traditionally conservative stronghold of Daegu-Gyeongbuk, a region long considered the "heart of conservatism."

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When the people suffer, heaven opens a way.

Kim Eun-hye, who served as spokesperson during Lee's presidency, shared the former president's sentiment, referencing the ancient Chinese idiom "Han Cheon Jak U" (한천작우), meaning "when the people suffer, heaven opens a way." This allusion suggests Lee's belief in a potential resurgence for the party, contingent on humility and adherence to the public's will. Kim pledged that the party would "realize our shortcomings and serve only the will of the people in the upcoming June 3 elections."

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We will realize our shortcomings and serve only the will of the people in the upcoming June 3 elections.

Former President Lee's remarks follow his recent public statements in an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo, where he criticized the conservative camp's internal divisions over loyalty to him versus former President Yoon Suk-yeol. Lee had then argued that the "defeated conservatives must look to the future, not dwell on the past," suggesting that the party should move beyond internal conflicts and focus on presenting a viable vision for the nation. His current message to the PPP appears to echo this sentiment, calling for introspection and a renewed focus on public trust as the key to overcoming their current electoral challenges.

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The defeated conservatives must look to the future, not dwell on the past. It makes no sense to be divided over former President Yoon Suk-yeol, who is already in the past. The judgment on former President Yoon should be left to the law, and the opposition party must present a vision that the public can accept and move towards the future.