Rock-paper-scissors

 Rock-paper-scissors

The morning news once again begins with stories of conflict. The opposition party revealed evidence of the National Intelligence Service's interference in the 2012 presidential election, which clearly constitutes a breach of national security. They pledged to uncover the truth through a parliamentary investigation and take responsibility. The ruling party claims that even members of the opposition had contact with NIS personnel during the election period, thus arguing that the opposition is not free from guilt. Furthermore, amid controversies including violations of the National Archives Act, the ruling party is attempting to shift the tide by launching an offensive regarding former President Roh Moo-hyun's remarks on the abandonment of the Northern Limit Line (NLL) during the inter-Korean talks.

The aftermath of the Four Major Rivers Project initiated during the Lee Myung-bak administration still lingers. The Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport stated that an increase in water prices is necessary to reduce the debts of the Korea Water Resources Corporation. Despite numerous objections, the project, along with the Gyeongin Canal project, has stirred up controversy as the debts have skyrocketed, reaching 13 trillion won last year from 1.9623 trillion won in 2008. In fact, legally, the costs incurred by such projects cannot be reflected in water prices.

Amidst political strife, the public sighs and criticizes the reality of Korean politics. People comment that individuals who were esteemed and intelligent before entering politics strangely change once they step onto the political stage, suggesting that politics is not something one should engage in. However, upon reflection, one realizes that our lives are filled with daily conflicts and compromises. Conflicts between neighbors over noise issues sometimes escalate to the extent of endangering lives.

On February 9, 2012, in Mok-dong, Seoul, Kim, living in an apartment, fatally assaulted his older brother, Kim Mo (32), and younger brother (30), during a dispute over noise issues. As a result, the brothers died, and their father (61), who was suffering from diabetes, passed away 19 days after the incident. The suspect, Kim, was sentenced to life imprisonment a year later. During the final trial, he stated, "I understand that no excuse can absolve my guilt. I did not intend to kill with determination. I apologize to the bereaved families. I will live with remorse until the day I die." Such conflicts over seemingly trivial matters leading to loss of life are not uncommon in our daily lives.

Looking back at human history, it was a history of wars. According to Chinese war history, wars occurred once a year. It seems that Korea was a relatively peaceful nation that rarely engaged in wars. Throughout history, whether it was during the Three Kingdoms period, the Goryeo Dynasty, or the Joseon Dynasty, each dynasty lasted for over 500 years, proving that Koreans were not a war-loving people, as evidenced by statistical analysis and interpretations of shame.

We often express exhaustion from conflicts, but they never truly end. Even if every human faces off against each other until only one remains, that person will still have to wage wars against other species. Eventually, humanity will meet its end. Therefore, reaching the conclusion that conflicts inevitably end in defeat rather than victory is a logical fallacy. Religions demand love, mercy, and altruism, yet everyone knows that no one will ever stop fighting. This leads to a curious question: Is fighting really a bad thing?

During the Humanities Concert 3, where 12 intellectuals gathered, it was suggested that a different perspective on fighting is necessary. It is a misconception to attribute the downfall of Joseon to factional struggles. Wars resulting from corrupt power lead to the country's downfall, but healthy checks and balances and fights strengthen democracy. In the late Joseon period, King Gojong and Min Bi sought reforms, but they were unable to proceed due to corrupt political power. Most of the figures advocating for reforms at that time, such as Kim Ok-gyun, Oh Young-sik, and Park Young-hyo, were in their twenties. This indicates that advocating for reforms without strong support from King Gojong was impossible. Korea has faced numerous ups and downs to reach its current state through liberation and independence. Division encouraged destructive competition but also served as a driving force for economic development.

It is undeniable that the economic development plans during the Syngman Rhee and Park Chung-hee administrations had significant contributions, despite arguments that they were created at the request of the United States to counterbalance Russia and China. It is also undeniable that the United States supported Korea and Japan to counterbalance Russia and China. Labor movements, which interfered with foreign investment and corporate management, indeed overcame economic crises triggered by external factors through labor strikes in 1987, leading to improved wage levels and domestic market activation. Just as Japan grew during the Korean War and Korea grew during the Vietnam War, it cannot be denied that conflicts, albeit justifiable, brought harm to the victims. Violence beyond the law should never be tolerated. What if violence is condoned when a referee is perceived to be biased during a soccer match? The reason for enthusiasm for sports is not because of referees but because of precise rules and unexpected circumstances, which allow players to showcase their skills. Therefore, while fights should be stopped, competition should be encouraged.

Park Seong-soon's "Encounter between Joseon Confucianism and Western Science" argues that the reason for Joseon's downfall was not factionalism but the closed nature of the country's administration. During the late Joseon period, China was ruled by the Qing Dynasty after the fall of the Ming Dynasty. Despite viewing the Qing Dynasty as a country without Confucian legitimacy or dignity, Joseon actively accepted advanced Chinese legal and technological knowledge. It was a period of confusion due to the ideological conflict between Confucian loyalty to the Ming Dynasty and active acceptance of advanced culture from the Qing Dynasty. Although scholars advocating for reforms also emphasized the benefits of adopting advanced culture, the foundation was Confucianism. After incidents such as the death of Yun Ji-chung and Kwon Sang-yeon, who conducted Catholic rituals after their mother's funeral, were reported to the royal court, the Jinan Incident occurred, and Joseon rapidly reverted to a policy of isolation. Joseon failed to modernize due to its closed-door policy, not because of Confucianism and factional conflicts but due to the lack of insight and decisiveness of its leaders.

The difference between fighting and competition lies in whether there is respect for the opponent. Most cases of murder reported in the news occur suddenly during conversations. Fights usually start when someone's dignity is hurt, such as through insults or personal attacks. In contrast, competition involves playing a game where both parties respect each other's dignity and accept the outcome, believing that they can achieve different results in the next opportunity. However, fights are different. Fights are wars where life-and-death decisions must be made, as in the philosophy of Sun Tzu and Machiavelli.

We are conditioned by a binary logic of fights. Either us or them. Either you're with us or against us. This leads to stigmatization and ostracism. I still don't fully understand the Four Major Rivers Project mentioned earlier. It's disappointing how it was rushed and pushed through, violating the law. However, on the other hand, I think the essence of the Four Major Rivers Project issue was not the dams but a matter of trust.

There is much talk about welfare as well. Many people agree that everyone should receive support during difficult times. However, arguments arise when it comes to who should receive more support. Most of the conflicts in the world, such as the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO) agreements, were caused by economic reasons rather than ideological or cultural reasons. In other words, conflicts arise from a difference in wealth.

It seems that poverty and wealth are the biggest causes of conflicts in the world. However, the root cause of all conflicts lies in discrimination. Discrimination gives rise to prejudice, and prejudice leads to conflicts. Conflicts can be resolved through competition or war. We compete when we are confident in our abilities, but we fight when we are not. We cannot say which is better. It is simply a choice. As long as we have trust in each other, we can overcome any conflicts and move forward together.