《Vol. 110》 Concept, Principle, and Method of National Cohesion

The 20th Presidential Election ended with a 0.73%p difference in votes, the smallest since the reintroduction of the direct election system. In this process, the task of the times posed on our society was clearly revealed: a national cohesion. President Yoon Suk-yeol stated in his speech upon winning the election, “The new administration will restore values in fairness and common sense, and open an era of unity through politics to promote cohesion.”
This, however, is not the first time national cohesion emerged as a keyword for the state administration. From the Lee Myung-bak Administration, which was the first Korean administration to launch the “Presidential Committee on Social Cohesion” and the Park Geun-hye Administration that succeeded it to the Moon Jae-in Administration that declared the “President for All,” national cohesion has always been at the core of the state administration. However, it is being evaluated by quite a number of people that, as a greater emphasis was placed on cohesion, it has led to an amplification of conflicts and disruptions. 
Focusing on the necessity of a transition from a normative approach to a realistic approach to succeed in national cohesion, this study asks the following three questions in relation to a strategy to implement the transition: With whom must the cohesion be promoted? What is the target of cohesion? and How can cohesion be achieved?
This study suggests that the first solution is to establish the goals and values of national cohesion, the second solution is to select the target and method of cohesion, and the third solution is to increase transparency in the procedure and process of cohesion.