The president’s call for pragmatism beyond camps, tested by practice

Assessing capabilities is not the same as accepting nuclear status. Pragmatism should not become a rationale for conceding principles that cannot be reclaimed.

President Lee Jae Myung responds to a reporter’s question during the 2026 New Year press conference at the Blue House on Jan. 21. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

President Lee Jae Myung said during a New Year’s press conference at the Blue House that “the foremost priority in state governance is the lives of the people,” and that “realism that transcends ideology, political camps and partisan confrontation” would guide his administration. At a time of intensifying ideological and regional divisions, the president’s emphasis on pragmatism is welcome. It was also notable that he outlined five broad directions for structural transformation, such as easing excessive demographic, economic and financial concentration in the Seoul metropolitan area to promote regional growth.

Lee also struck a pragmatic tone on housing policies. He distanced himself from speculation about tax hikes, which were fueled by recent remarks from presidential policy chief Kim Yong-beom. “It makes little sense to cut taxes simply because speculative property is held for a long time,” Lee said, while stressing that long-term residents owning a single home should be protected. For now, he added, the government is not seriously considering tax measures as a housing policy tool.

Questions remain, however, about follow-through. Despite the collapse of a National Assembly confirmation hearing for Lee Hye-hoon, the nominee for budget minister, the president said he had “not yet decided” whether to proceed with the appointment. The nominee faces multiple controversies, including allegations related to improper apartment lottery program subscriptions and asset formation. Even if the intent was to recruit a conservative figure to play a “red team” role, pushing ahead with an appointment that the president himself conceded “appears problematic” would be misguided. If vetting failed because the process was conducted behind closed doors, the appropriate response is to take responsibility rather than deflect.

On prosecutorial reform, it was encouraging that the president said he would not listen only to hardliners within the ruling party or among its core supporters who oppose measures such as supplementary investigation powers. As he emphasized, “The essence of prosecutorial reform is not stripping prosecutors of power, but ensuring that perpetrators are properly punished so victims are not wronged.” That principle should guide efforts to persuade skeptics within the ruling camp as well. Likewise, if unity is truly a goal, there is little reason to rule out dialogue with opposition figures, including People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok, who is currently on a hunger strike.

President Lee’s remarks on North Korea’s nuclear program call for caution. He noted that ignoring reality while waiting for denuclearization has allowed Pyongyang's nuclear capabilities to grow and mentioned the possibility of arms reduction talks following a development freeze. While proposing a freeze as an initial step may be realistic, a phased approach toward denuclearization must be handled carefully. Arms reduction presupposes recognition of North Korea as a nuclear weapons state. Assessing capabilities is not the same as accepting nuclear status. Even if U.S. President Donald Trump refers to North Korea as a “nuclear state,” South Korea’s president should not appear to cross that irreversible line. Pragmatism should not become a rationale for conceding principles that cannot be reclaimed.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.