The recent actions of People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk, who attended a church service for Pastor Son Hyeon-bo, a controversial figure arrested on charges of illegal election campaigning, have sparked a heated debate. At the service, Jang framed Pastor Son's arrest as "religious persecution," arguing it was a "problem for the Republic of Korea, which must stop itself from becoming an anti-civilizational state." This statement can only be interpreted as a blatant move by the People Power Party to embrace far-right Protestant factions.
The fact that Jang used "religious persecution" as a reason to defend Pastor Son is a very dangerous and cunning approach. Freedom of religion is a crucial value guaranteed by the Constitution, but it cannot stand above the rule of law. Pastor Son was not arrested for simply engaging in religious activities but on suspicion of illegal campaigning for a specific political party's candidate. This is clearly an act with potential violations of current law and can be seen as an abuse of his religious status to interfere in politics and incite the public. Attempting to make this a sacred issue by calling it religious persecution is an act that undermines the rule of law and incites social chaos.
Politics and religion must be separated. This is a fundamental principle of modern democratic states. However, the People Power Party has consistently shown a tendency to involve far-right religious figures like Pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon in politics to consolidate their support base. Jang's visit to Segyero Church is an extension of this. It can be interpreted as a public declaration of his intent to ally with far-right Protestant groups, such as "Yoon Again," which opposed former President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment, using Pastor Son's arrest as a pretext.
Jang already received the full support of far-right forces during the party leader election process. After becoming party leader, he seemed to distance himself briefly but is now trying to get closer to them again. This appears to be a strategic move to overcome the current political crisis. In the face of fierce opposition attacks, such as special prosecution for treason and the establishment of a special court, he is not hiding his dark intention to use far-right Protestant groups as his "action squad" for protests outside the National Assembly.
This behavior by the People Power Party is nothing but a degradation of religious belief into a tool for political ambition. While religion should aim for peace and unity, some far-right religious groups spread exclusive and extreme claims, fomenting social conflict. If the People Power Party joins hands with such forces, it is tantamount to an announcement that it will abandon democracy and the rule of law and choose a regressive politics on the asphalt of the public square.
Jang claimed that Pastor Son's arrest was a "problem of anti-human rights, anti-civilization, anti-rule of law, and anti-liberalism," but in fact, his own political actions are the very anti-democratic behavior that denies all these values. The public will no longer be deceived by political agreements packaged under the name of religion. The People Power Party must immediately stop this dangerous conspiracy with far-right forces and return to being a party that upholds the constitutional values of the rule of law and democracy. Otherwise, it will be hard to avoid the judgment of the public.
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