Park Ji-won Tells Cho Kuk Not to Vent His ‘Political Loneliness’

Cho Kuk says he is playing the “red team” to help the Lee Jae Myung government succeed. Park Ji-won says he risks making his way back harder if his criticism looks like an outlet for political isolation.

Park, a Democratic Party lawmaker, made the remarks on Facebook on the 3rd after Cho shared news coverage of his criticism of the ruling camp. Park asked whether Cho was feeling triumphant after seeing the reports.

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If you appear to be venting your current political loneliness, it will become harder to return.

Park cited the March 1 Declaration of Independence, saying it described politicians as acting in reality and scholars as remaining at the lectern. He said the Democratic Party also needed to reflect, adding that progressives should not push another progressive intellectual-turned-politician toward the conservative right.

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The Lee Jae Myung government will not necessarily succeed just because it sings a hymn of praise to Lee.

But Park said he was worried that members of the same political camp were hurting one another while the country still needed to complete what he called the full clearing up of the insurrection and three major reforms. Such divisions, he said, could unintentionally allow forces linked to the insurrection to gain strength. He added that he believed Cho did not want that outcome either.

Park urged Cho to show restraint, warning that his remarks could become a greater burden later. Cho recently said pushing to cancel indictments against President Lee would bring political and legal trouble. He also criticized the government’s tax reform plan, telling the Hankyoreh that simply praising the Lee government would not ensure its success and that it needed someone like him to serve as a red team.

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I have to play the role of a red team, like me, for the Lee Jae Myung government to succeed.