"Pragmatism" is undoubtedly the defining term for the current Korean administration. The pledge to become a "president for all"—transcending the divides of progressive versus conservative, ideology, and partisan factionalism—is rooted precisely in this pragmatism. In particular, concepts championed as core ideologies (prioritizing livelihood) and (prioritizing prosperity)—focus on public welfare in a way that few citizens would oppose; consequently, pragmatism appears to offer a new foundation for national unity. Indeed, the administration has achieved remarkable results through this pragmatic approach to governance, including a rising KOSPI, strengthened AI competitiveness, diplomatic successes, and exceptional crisis management during periods of soaring global oil prices.
However, it is difficult to view this pragmatic course in an entirely positive light. While pragmatism can help alleviate social conflict and foster unity, it may also simply be a re-emphasis—in a new guise—of the "developmentalist mindset" centered on growth and efficiency that has long dominated South Korea. The nation’s economic development, which has reached world-class levels, is largely the result of a strictly pragmatic, results-oriented mindset. Yet, we cannot overlook the fundamental values we have lost in the shadow of such dazzling growth.
The most concerning issue is the serious erosion of respect for human life. The trend in our society of disregarding the value of life goes beyond mere cliché; it reveals a callous reality where the worth of the powerless and vulnerable—those unable to defend themselves—is excluded from the very discourse on the matter. Pragmatic thinking reveals its dangerous nature when dealing with the most vulnerable beings at the beginning and end of life. Proposals offering financial incentives to families who decide to withdraw life-sustaining treatment, or attempts to introduce abortion pills—thereby shifting the burden of decision-making solely onto women and doctors without deeply considering the right to life of the fetus—vividly demonstrate how easily the value of vulnerable lives, such as those of terminally ill patients or fetuses, can be devalued.
By nature, pragmatism—like utilitarianism—prioritizes outcomes and utility as its core criteria. While it may offer the advantages of situational flexibility and realistic alternatives, it suffers from a fatal limitation: a failure to recognize the "absolute value of human life," a principle that cannot be compromised. When all moral judgments are reduced to situational contexts and efficient outcomes, the inherent dignity of life—which should remain inviolable under any circumstances—loses its ground.
What constitutes the true suffering of patients facing their final moments? What does genuine care that upholds their dignity look like? For a woman struggling alone with a crisis pregnancy, is the need really for a means to easily give up a life, or is it for a substantive social safety net that fully protects both the baby and the mother?
To the pragmatic eye, such questions may appear as unproductive, tedious, and merely academic—precisely because they do not lend themselves to immediate answers or efficient solutions. However, a society that pursues only efficiency and speed—trading the value of life for short-term utility—is bound to be shaken to its very roots. While immediate operational efficiency might increase, we risk losing the dignified meaning of human life and the fundamental value that upholds our national community: respect for human life.
For whom, then, does this developed Republic of Korea exist if it is built by undermining the value of human life? What does it mean to "live well" in a society that has discarded the precious values that give human life its meaning? Despite widespread concern, the current government is rushing to introduce abortion pills. I urge the President and high-ranking government officials, even at this late stage, to look beyond pragmatism, reflect once more on the meaning and value of human life, and halt the introduction of these drugs.