South Korean parties warned for arrogance and ignoring public sentiment

Both the ruling and opposition parties in South Korea face strong criticism for arrogance and a failure to understand public sentiment, prompting voters to issue a "warning" in the recent June 3 local elections. The political landscape is seen as having failed to adequately adapt to societal changes following a "rebellion incident," preventing the Democratic Party from achieving a decisive victory and allowing the People Power Party to narrowly escape a crushing defeat by relying on public sentiment against the ruling party, rather than genuine self-renewal.

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They were arrogant and did not read public sentiment, and citizens have issued a warning.

Kim Young-bae, a Democratic Party lawmaker, described the party's campaign as "visionless, strategy-less, and reckless." He noted that the party failed to present a clear vision or policies, relying instead on the president's high approval ratings. Kim expressed concern that the party's nomination process, which favored the preferences of hardline party members over broader appeal, alienated moderate voters. He warned that if the party does not undergo a significant transformation, it could face even harsher consequences in future general and presidential elections.

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The Democratic Party ran a visionless, strategy-less, reckless election.

Park Jung-ha, a People Power Party lawmaker, pointed to the leadership's "closed-off style" and "self-assurance centered on leadership" as reasons for the election results. He criticized the party's post-election interpretation, suggesting that some leaders misinterpreted the Seoul mayoral victory as a sign of hope and are now inciting claims of election fraud. Park emphasized that the party cannot become a viable ruling party unless it addresses issues related to martial law, President Yoon Suk-yeol, and internal party democratization.

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Closed-off leadership that ignored public sentiment led to this result.

An analysis also suggested that the ruling party was burdened by a lack of sophisticated approach to real estate issues. Choi Byung-chun, a legal expert, posited that the comprehensive real estate tax, rather than rising property prices, may have alienated homeowners in affluent areas of Seoul and Gyeonggi Province, contributing to the ruling party's losses in these regions. He termed the tax the "Han River Belt Annihilation Tax." Kim Young-bae added that the government and ruling party needed to consider not only speculation deterrence and tax justice but also housing stability and policy predictability to persuade the public.

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The comprehensive real estate tax became the 'Han River Belt Annihilation Tax,' causing the ruling party's defeat in areas with high-end apartments.