유럽을 향한 실리 외교와 국내의 거친 파열음: 이재명 정부의 엇갈린 두 풍경 > K-wave Trends

President Lee Jae-myung's visit to Belgium and the EU achieved substantial results in raising Korea's economic status to the next level. At a summit with Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Weber, President Lee opened the door to economic cooperation by agreeing to expand investment between companies in strategic industries such as batteries, energy, and materials. In particular, it is very encouraging that we have laid the foundation to further enhance Korea's nano and semiconductor technology by strengthening cooperation with IMEC, a world-class semiconductor research institute. In addition, the signing of the MOU, which allows small and medium-sized businesses and venture companies to advance into each other's markets as a base, goes beyond diplomacy centered on large corporations and opens a new window of opportunity for small and medium-sized businesses, which are the backbone of our economy. These actions demonstrate Korea's strong will to go beyond being a simple trading partner and take the lead in future industries as a key partner of Europe.

In the fields of security and technology, this visit to Europe was also a turning point in solidifying our strategic partnership. Korea and the EU formalized negotiations to conclude a confidential information protection agreement, making it clear that the security of the Indo-Pacific region and Europe cannot be separated. This is our intention to safely share sensitive information in a rapidly changing international situation and to promote joint research in the field of cutting-edge technology based on this. In addition, establishing a data business environment through a digital trade agreement and concluding an agreement on transmitting passenger reservation data to lay the legal framework for preventing transnational crime can be evaluated as a diplomatic harvest that takes care of both public safety and economic benefits. The pledge to make constructive contributions to the reconstruction of Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East also demonstrates the diplomatic confidence that the Republic of Korea will lead peace and prosperity as a responsible member of the international community.

However, when we look domestically, the situation is quite different. The protests taking place around the Jamsil vote counting center have gone beyond the cause of freedom of expression in democracy and are already spiraling out of control. Protesters protesting the shortage of ballots for the June 3 local elections are not hesitating to make indiscriminate personal attacks, verbal abuse, and even imprisonment and violence toward police officers on site. They brand police officers who wear uniforms and maintain order in the community as 'fake police' and ridicule them, which is a direct challenge to public power and an act that seriously undermines the democratic public sphere. Despite being on an overseas tour, President Lee Jae-myung strongly condemned this unreasonable violence and expressed a firm stance that actions that cross the line will never be tolerated. This is a stern warning that although civil freedom must be guaranteed, acts that violate the human rights of others and destroy public order cannot be permitted in the name of freedom.

Amid this chaos, voices of reflection are rising even within the ruling party. Spokesperson Lee Ji-eun, who criticized President Lee Jae-myung's way of running state affairs by comparing it to the evils of the previous administration, resigned from her position as spokesperson, taking responsibility for the burden her remarks had placed on the party. This is a clear example of how much fatigue it causes to the people when the political world fails to refine its internal language and conflicts. The psychological and physical injuries suffered by police officers at protest sites paradoxically prove how immature our society is in the way it resolves conflicts. The National Police Agency's decision to establish an on-site legal counseling center and support psychological treatment for employees is only an afterthought, but fundamentally, the urgent task is to eliminate the social atmosphere that justifies illegality and violence.