Rishi Sunak calls for political courage amid rising global authoritarianism

Former British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak warned on May 21 that democratic systems once taken for granted are under pressure globally, citing rising public openness to authoritarianism and a growing crisis of trust in governments.

“The most difficult challenge we face is a crisis of trust in government,” Sunak said during a keynote discussion at the Asian Leadership Conference in Seoul, hosted by the Chosun Ilbo. “There are increasing numbers of people around the world who are more open to autocratic and authoritarian regimes.”

Sunak attributed the trend to both domestic and global factors. “In the UK, many young people feel they are unlikely to achieve better living standards than their parents or grandparents,” he said. “Externally, authoritarian states such as China, Iran, North Korea and Russia are expanding their influence.”

He accused those countries of forming strategic and economic alliances that “suppress and threaten democracy,” and said China was “engaging in unusual behavior not typical of a nation-state.” He also warned that social media platforms such as TikTok could be misused in ways that threaten national security and democratic institutions.

Former British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak speaks during a conversation with Lee Jung-hoon, dean of Yonsei University’s Graduate School of International Studies, at the 2025 Asian Leadership Conference in Seoul on May 21, 2025./Chang Lian-cherng

On leadership, Sunak emphasized the importance of political conviction, courage, and resilience. “A political leader must be willing to say things people may not want to hear if it serves the national interest,” he said, urging aspiring leaders to seek respect rather than popularity or fear.

He acknowledged the difficulty of leading in an era of diminished trust in authority, but said resilience was essential. Reflecting on his own path, he said his parents—a doctor and a pharmacist—had hoped he would pursue medicine. “My mother cried a lot when I chose to study politics instead,” he said.

Delivering medicine by bicycle in his youth, Sunak said, gave him an appreciation of his parents’ role in the community and helped shape his decision to enter politics.

The event drew hundreds of young Koreans. Addressing them, Sunak said he once asked Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett to write down their secret to success. “Both wrote the same word: Focus,” he said. “Korea already leads in IT, nuclear energy and education. If you apply your brilliance with focus, you can transform society and the country.”

He added that the current generation lives in a time of rapid technological change. “In the era of AI, what used to take 100 years may now take just 10,” he said. “You have the privilege of living through extraordinary transformation. Stay optimistic and focus on your goals—opportunities will follow.”

The visit was Sunak’s first to South Korea. He said his teenage daughters were particularly excited, asking him to visit beauty chain Olive Young and giving him a shopping list. “Korea is a global soft power leader—in K-pop, K-food, and K-beauty,” he said.

Sunak, who is of Indian descent, became Britain’s first non-white and first Hindu prime minister in 2022 at age 42, the youngest since Robert Jenkinson in 1812. As finance minister from 2020 to 2022, he introduced a landmark furlough scheme during the COVID-19 pandemic that helped prevent mass layoffs. He currently serves as a member of Parliament representing Richmond and Northallerton in northeast England.

[Kim Min-seo]

- Copyrights ⓒ 조선일보 & chosun.com, 무단 전재 및 재배포 금지 -