Mr. President, may you uphold unity and mutual prosperity as the highest principles of your governance
On June 3, 2025, Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party of Korea was elected as the 21st President of South Korea. The AsiaN is publishing the hopes and expectations of Koreans for the new president and administration in both Korean and English editions. We welcome the interest, feedback, and constructive criticism of our readers.
The AsiaN Editorial Team
By Lee Byung-chul,
Poet and advocate for the sanctity of life
SEOUL: Congratulations on your election. As the newly elected President, you now bear the immense responsibility of governing this country. With that mandate comes a rare and precious opportunity to realize the goals you have long championed: reducing inequality and stabilizing the livelihoods of ordinary people.
Despite ongoing concerns over your so-called “judicial risk,” a significant number of citizens have entrusted you with the presidency. This choice reflects a deep public desire to correct structural injustices and build a society where the vulnerable and working class can once again find hope. However, for these promises to be fulfilled, you must first bring together a nation currently fractured by ideological divisions, generational gaps, and social inequality. Without tolerance, communication, and patience aimed at national unity, the pursuit of justice and fairness may only breed new conflicts and deeper polarization.
To truly heal and unite the country, it is vital to walk together even with political opponents. Reform is necessary—but if reform is perceived as partisan or exclusionary, half the nation will resist it or fear it. Proposals such as prosecutorial reform, media reform, and welfare expansion are all legitimate and necessary. But if pursued without broad public dialogue and consensus, the spirit of reform itself may be distorted or fail entirely. This is a lesson painfully taught by history.
South Korea stands today at a critical historical juncture. The global climate crisis, trade wars and economic stagnation, demographic decline and regional collapse, and the shift toward future industries are not partisan issues—they are shared national challenges. If unresolved, these threats could push our nation into serious decline. In such a time of crisis, national unity is not optional—it is essential for survival and progress.
For this reason, I strongly urge your administration to place constitutional reform at the top of its agenda. The political dysfunction we have seen in recent years is rooted in the structural limitations of the 1987 Constitution. It is time to overcome those limits and move toward a new constitutional order that ensures national unity, balanced power, and genuine coexistence.
The people now earnestly hope for this administration to succeed. If your government repeats the missteps of past administrations—through internal division, external confrontation, or a breakdown in public trust—it will not merely be a political failure, but a national tragedy.
Therefore, I sincerely hope that you will become a truly successful president—one who is respected and loved by all citizens. Not a president for “your side,” but a leader for the entire nation. May the name Lee Jae-myung be remembered not as a symbol of faction, but as a conscience of our era.
