Equipped with an extensive and debate-worthy political portfolio, Sohn Hak-kyu is one of the most intriguing presidential hopefuls in the Democratic United Party.

The former democratic activist was a four-term lawmaker ― three of which were on the ticket of a right-wing party ― a health and welfare minister, a Gyeonggi Province governor and twice a chairman of the progressive Democratic Party.

His generally successful exploit zigzagging across party affiliations and local and state administrations has placed him among the most prospective next presidents, but with one hitch: His low popularity ratings among the general public. The latest survey by Real Meter on 3,750 eligible voters earlier this week showed his rating at 3.0 percent, far below the DUP’s frontrunner Moon Jae-in’s 17.9 percent.

Despite the cynical outlook, however, Sohn appeared confident, even at ease.

“I believe that as my sincerity and capability get more exposed, the support will gather toward me. I don’t believe in acting as if there are any new strategies or tactics to turn the tide,” Sohn said in a joint interview with The Korea Herald and Herald Business at his campaign headquarters in Yeouido.

Sohn’s laid-back demeanor and straightforward answers appeared to show he was experienced, and prepared.

Sohn announced his presidential bid on June 14, in front of the statue of King Sejong, one of the most respected kings in Korean history, much to the envy of his fellow contenders, who then scurried to find the next best venue to announce their own bids.

Sohn also triggered a battle of slogans among the rivals by pledging to create “a life with promising (relaxing) evenings for overworked South Koreans. The catchphrase not only indicated his pro-labor policy line but also effectively represented his outlook on overall welfare improvement.

As an avid promoter of wider inter-Korean exchanges, Sohn also shared his solid vision on North Korea and the stability of Northeast Asia, by denouncing the incumbent government’s latest attempt to sign an information-sharing pact with Japan, and underscoring a need to balance out diplomacy with the neighboring countries.

“It is urgent that a peaceful structure is built on the Korean peninsula, and for that we must not engage in any diplomacy weightily leaned to one side,” Sohn said.

Commenting that although the latest heredity of power from late Kim Jong-il to Kim Jong-un in North Korea was “not a normal handover of power,” Sohn underscored not acknowledging the counterpart will only lead to confrontation and war and said it was inevitable to hold dialogues.

With regard to the upcoming presidential election in the United States in November, Sohn was equally candid, stating that a U.S. president ultimately works for the benefit of one’s country, and that Korea should take the lead in improving its inter-Korean relations. He also stated his support for Washington to forge diplomatic ties with Pyongyang as part of the efforts to open up North Korea.

Following are excerpts of questions and answers with Sohn on inter-Korean and foreign affairs issues, along with several local agenda.

KH: You mentioned a need to transform the cease-fire treaty into a peace treaty in your presidential bid declaration.

Sohn: The first and foremost goal at the moment is to resume inter-Korean relations, to fortify economic cooperation including humanitarian exchanges. We must begin by creating an economic community. In order to do that, there must be efforts on diverse aspects ranging from economic exchanges and cooperation to personal exchanges, visits among separated families and cultural events. The effort to turn the cease-fire treaty into a peace treaty will go hand-in-hand with such moves.

KH: How will such efforts play out with North Korea’s relations with other relevant countries?

Sohn: The efforts will not be carried out on our own. We need to work on resuming the six-party talks (on North Korea’s nuclear program), and in parallel to that, a move to establish diplomatic relations between Pyongyang and Washington as well as a move to normalize diplomatic relations between Pyongyang and Japan. We should not oppose diplomatic relations between the United States and North Korea but actively support it so that it will help the North Korean society diplomatically open up.

KH: Will that be possible under the rule of new leader Kim Jong-un?

Sohn: The third-generation hereditary succession of power is not a normal handover. But what can we do? Although we can criticize what is not normal as not being normal, we can also not deny the existence of the North Korean regime. And it is therefore inevitable to hold dialogues with the representative or the core authority of the regime. Refusing to acknowledge the dialogue counterpart will only lead to confrontation and war.

KH: The presidential race is under way in the United States as well. What kind of a role do you see a U.S. president playing for the peace of the Korean peninsula?

Sohn: When President Obama first inaugurated into office, we had thought that he would be enthusiastic in improving the relations between the two Koreas. But a U.S. president ultimately serves for the purpose of the benefits of the United States. Rather than thinking who should win (U.S.) presidency for what, or rather than deeming that the United States holds the key to the inter-Korean relations, we must have an attitude that we are the leading players to cultivate inter-Korean relations.

KH: How would you characterize your foreign affairs and defense polices?

Sohn: I have had a highly advanced vision on inter-Korean relations more than anyone, and have acted on it. (His adviser cited Sohn’s South-North project during his Gyeonggi governorship in 2006 to cultivate rice in the North as one of the example). I openly supported former President Kim Dae-jung’s Sunshine Policy even when I was in the then-Grand National Party. Because the inter-Korean relations are not just a matter of the two Koreas but of the future development of Northeast Asia, I, with the international vision and views, am the most appropriate person to take the lead.

KH: There are increasing tensions between China with the United States, as well as with Japan, not to mention the tense relations between the two Koreas. People are concerned about security.

Sohn: There are signs showing Northeast Asia heading into a new form of tension and it is a matter of concern. It is worrisome that a new confrontation structure may be forming. In the middle of the elevated tension between China and the United States and China and Japan is the Korean peninsula and the Republic of Korea. An emphasis on security also risks heightening tension between the countries. It is crucial to figure out how to ease such tension.

If a Korean peninsula is thrown into the whirlwind of conflict, and should such conflict spread into a military issue, the damage naturally falls upon the Korean peninsula and especially the South where we have more economic growth. It is therefore urgent that we create a peaceful structure. We cannot engage in one-sided diplomacy weighted toward a certain country, and instead seek to maintain good relations with our neighboring countries in consideration of our geopolitical factors and commonly seek for peace, security and national interest.

KH: What is your stance, then, on the government’s recent controversial attempt to sign an information-sharing pact between Seoul and Tokyo?

Sohn: The move lacked in-depth consideration of a balanced diplomacy, not to mention the procedural flaws that it had.

KH: You have pledged to create “a life with promising evenings.” Please elaborate.

Sohn: The first pledge related to the “life with promising evenings” is to shorten working hours, which will lead to creation of jobs. That is the basis: to create more jobs and shorten working hours without reducing payment, and transforming irregular jobs into regular employment. Rather than (making a promise to) create heaven and earth, I am focused on fulfilling my pledge faithfully. (Sohn has pledged to shorten the current average working hours at 2,193 hours to 2,000 hours within his tenure if elected into office. By doing that, Sohn has contended it will entail 730,000 new jobs.)

KH: It will not be easy persuading the businesses.

Sohn: Of course it will be hard. That is what a president is for. If we take this step-by-step such as by curtailing the working hours for Fridays first and then extending it to Tuesdays in two to three years, it is quite doable. For this, I plan to fix whatever laws that need to be fixed including the Labor Standards Act.

KH: Economic democratization is currently at the center of debate. The measures appear to be focused generally on reforming chaebol conglomerates. What is your take on that?

Sohn: The (measures) are not too different from those that I pursued as DP chairman. But we do not mean to start banning cross-shareholding right from the get-go. We are suggesting: Let’s implement that with a grace period in order to absorb the shock. The economic democratization measures presented by the Saenuri Party suggest that we maintain the unjust governance structure of (conglomerates) and that is not right. We must work toward preventing chaebol’s abuse and altering the irregular structure of conglomerates.

KH: There are views that Ahn Cheol-soo, dean of Seoul National University Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, is taking away the votes of progressive moderates that otherwise would have gone to you.

Sohn: It is true that Ahn is stimulating our politics, because the politics have been failing to fulfill the citizens’ demands and expectations. In that sense, Ahn is acting as a role similar to a vaccine for our society. What role should be the most adequate role of him is a decision that Ahn must make himself. The priority for the DUP as the No. 1 opposition party is to show the people how we will take responsibility and what kind of a country we will create in order to gain the trust and support of the people.

KH: What are your thoughts on Saenuri Party frontrunner Park Geun-hye?

Sohn: Park’s most fatal flaw is that she fundamentally does not have her own conviction or philosophy on democracy. She has viewed the world through the prism of her father, former President Park Chung-hee, and remains that way. Her inability to communicate is also a problem. It has to do a lot with the way she lived her life. And that is why I previously said I sympathize with her.

KH: You had promised to give a life with promising evenings. Have you been able to enjoy your evenings?

Sohn: I will provide promising evenings to the people by sacrificing mine. I was once asked what kind of president I wished to be. I said I wish to become a president who may shed a tear but never let the citizens shed one.

By Lee Joo-hee and Han Suck-hee
(jhl@heraldcorp.com)

Yang Dae-geun contributed to this article ― Ed.