Democratic Party of Korea leader Jeong Chung-rae (left) and People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk (right) shake hands and smile brightly before a luncheon meeting with President Lee Jae-myung at the presidential office in Yongsan, Seoul, on September 8. / The presidential office press corps

In the founding myth of Gojoseon, well known to all Koreans and recorded in Samguk yusa, the Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms, by the Goryeo-era monk Il-yeon in 1281, a bear and a tiger living in a cave wished to become human. Hwanung gave them a bundle of mugwort and twenty cloves of garlic, instructing them to eat only these and avoid sunlight for 100 days in order to take human form. Only the bear succeeded, becoming Ungnyeo, who later married Hwanung and gave birth to Dangun, the founder of Gojoseon.

However, some argue that what Hwanung gave was not garlic. When the Korean translation of Samguk yusa was published in 1946 by the Sasayeonyeokhoe, the character “san (蒜)” was rendered as garlic, but this is questioned. Garlic, believed to have originated in Central Asia, did not reach China until the 2nd century BCE, making the timing unlikely. Moreover, in the Joseon Dynasty, garlic was mostly called “ho (葫).” The character “san” generally refers to plants with a strong aroma and taste, suggesting that the plant in the myth may have been wild chives or another native herb rather than garlic.

In the Dangun myth, mugwort symbolizes femininity and vitality, while garlic represents perseverance and willpower. The story conveys that humans do not become human automatically, but must undergo effort and trials to achieve it.

On September 8, at a luncheon meeting with President Lee Jae-myung and party leaders from both sides, the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) leader Jang Dong-hyuk remarked, “As soon as I became party leader, I started eating garlic and mugwort in preparation to shake hands with the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) leader Jeong Chung-rae. Thank you for agreeing to shake hands even though 100 days haven’t passed yet.” He was alluding to Jeong, who took office on August 2 and had refused to engage with the opposition party for 37 days after declaring, “I will not shake hands with the forces behind the insurgency,” while also stating that he only shakes hands with humans. The two party leaders shook hands for the first time at President Lee’s mediation, engaging in a cordial conversation. In his parliamentary speech on September 9, Jeong demanded “cleansing the insurgency” from the PPP, but did not mention cooperation with the opposition party.

To restore politics, the ruling party must, as President Lee urged, make concessions and extend a hand to the opposition. Yet it is also true that the public doubts whether the PPP, which has failed to decisively break with the leader of the insurgency Yoon Suk-yeol and is leaning further right, can fulfill its role as a proper opposition party. The PPP must eat garlic and mugwort to undergo the process of deep reflection and reform if it hopes to be reborn as a legitimate political party.