President Lee Jae-myung delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of the 2025 World Congress of the International Political Science Association (IPSA) held at COEX in Gangnam District, Seoul, on July 13, 2025. (Photo courtesy of the Presidential Office Press Corps)
SEOUL, July 13 (Korea Bizwire) — President Lee Jae-myung on Sunday delivered a sweeping appeal to link economic equity with democratic resilience, warning that without tangible improvements to people’s lives, democracy could fall prey to authoritarian forces cloaked in the guise of economic growth.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the World Congress of Political Science at COEX in Seoul, President Lee said, “We must prove that democracy can put food on the table. Only then can we stop anti-democratic forces from exploiting poverty and inequality to destroy democratic institutions.”
He described democracy and economic policy as “inseparable,” citing South Korea’s recent political turbulence — including the controversial Dec. 3 martial law incident — as a cautionary tale. Lee characterized the emergency as an “anti-democratic outrage born from a desire to eliminate opponents and cling to power indefinitely.”
Yet, he framed South Korea’s response as a global model. “In overcoming that crisis, we witnessed the true strength of democracy,” Lee said. “What South Korea has achieved is not just ours. ‘K-democracy’ now serves as a beacon and a guidepost for democratic citizens around the world.”
President Lee Jae-myung delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of the 2025 World Congress of the International Political Science Association (IPSA) held at COEX in Gangnam District, Seoul, on July 13, 2025. (Photo courtesy of the Presidential Office Press Corps)
Lee emphasized the need to tackle inequality and polarization, which he said fuel division and threaten democratic consensus. He called for a deeper restoration of freedom, equality, and solidarity — defining freedom not merely as the absence of interference, but as a guarantee of basic economic dignity.
“In a country where your address can decide your fate, where people labor under the scorching sun without even a rest area — what kind of freedom is that?” he asked. “Real freedom is a warm meal that relieves hunger, a safety net that pulls us from the depths of debt.”
He argued that realizing democracy must be inseparable from securing citizens’ fundamental well-being.
Lee also called for greater citizen participation in politics. “The struggle to overcome authoritarianism reaffirmed the power of civic engagement and solidarity,” he said. “It’s time for future-oriented democracy — one that reflects the collective intelligence of the sovereign people.”
He pointed to artificial intelligence as a tool to enhance direct democracy, saying mobile technology already empowers people to monitor power and demand accountability. “The AI revolution could be the singularity that ushers in a new era for K-democracy.”
“There is no democracy that comes free of charge,” Lee added. “If anyone doubts the strength of democracy and the power of the sovereign people, I urge them to look to the Republic of Korea.”
He concluded by declaring South Korea a new global benchmark for democracy: “Once, Athens was the symbol of democracy. In the future, I hope the world will look to Seoul as the starting point for its next chapter.”
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
