The decision of the Constitutional Court to
dissolve the Unified Progressive Party [UPP] came as a welcome event to close out the
year 2014, which seemed to be fraught with disasters and controversies more so
than other years. The Court took an unusually long time to make its decision,
thereby causing many to have “what if” thoughts, but it was all for naught as the decision produced sighs
of relief.
The Korean Peninsula is divided by a highly
militarized border that stretches over 155 miles. The recent ruling has been a
shock to many citizens who worry about the country’s
future. In particular, the Court emphasized that the UPP’s espousal of North Korea wasn’t limited to party
platforms, but that their activities had the potential to form a dire threat to
Korean society. In this way, citizens who care about liberal democratic values
and see it as part of the national policy were happy with the decision.
The dissolution ruling was unprecedented in
the history of South Korea’s Constitutional Court, and
it accordingly received much public attention. Eight judges formed the majority
while only one dissented. It is important to note that even judges with
progressive or moderate political leanings formed the majority. It should also
be noted that this decision will likely form the starting point of a new
movement. Following the ruling, many people have been advocating additional
sanctions against those who conspire for a violent overthrow of liberal
democracy. Namely, pro-North factions should not be treated with mere disregard, but
they should be made to bear the full consequences of their actions.
The Court’s
decision can also be viewed as a victory for liberal democracy as set out in
the Korean constitution. The Court asserted that the division of the Korean
Peninsula and the ongoing conflict against North Korea means that the threat posed by
the UPP is not merely theoretical. In this way, the Court implied that the
basic democratic order can only be preserved through the rule of law.
This decision will also likely impede
future events that praise and idealize North Korea’ regime such as the “Hwang Sun – Shin Eun Mi Talk Concert”. Although it seems a bit late, even now pro-North factions should
renounce their views. At a time when the highest body at the UN, the Security
Council, has added the issue of human rights to its official agenda, North
Korea must not put itself in international isolation and swiftly resolve this
issue by coming to the negotiating table for inter-Korean talks.
What we need most of all is to instill our
youth, who will be relied on to protect our democracy in the future, with a
proper appreciation for our national institutions. Only then can the two Koreas
undergo a peaceful reunification and a liberal democratic government be
established.
*The views expressed in Guest Columns are not necessarily those of Daily NK.
