`Pres. Lee Should Respect Ruling Party`

The new chairman of the ruling Grand National Party, Park Hee-tae, said yesterday that he will tell President Lee Myung-bak to respect the party in their first meeting.

“The president has failed to communicate effectively with the ruling party,” Park said. “He should listen carefully to the party’s decisions and follow them as the will of the people.”

On constitutional revision, he said, “We should not only start it next year but also finish it next year.

“Once we unlatch the gate of the Constitution, it will not be a one-point constitutional amendment that only touches the power structure. Overall issues will be inevitably discussed from the basic ideology of liberal democracy to unification and territorial issues.”

The following are excerpts from his exclusive interview with The Dong-A Ilbo.

Dong-A: Explain the timing and principles of the party’s reshuffle, including the designation of two supreme member positions.

Park: I will designate a person from the southwestern region and the other from the Chungcheong region as Supreme Council members. This will be done in consideration of the pro-Park Geun-hye faction. I will push to add another one or two designated members. It is necessary to have representatives of younger party members participate in the Supreme Council meeting. It will take time to make personnel changes in the party.

Dong-A: How can the party achieve unity?

Park: President Lee and former party chairwoman Park Geun-hye should meet frequently. Both are party members and family. When the president returns from his visit to Japan, I will suggest that he regularly hold talks with her. As a heavyweight political leader, Park Geun-hye can play a role as much as possible and exercise a lot of influence on state affairs. I will also regularly meet Park and resolve the return of pro-Park lawmakers to the party soon. I will carefully coordinate to ensure that internal power struggles, such as the one seen within the pro-Lee faction, will never recur.

Dong-A: What about the allegation that you will closely follow instructions from the presidential office?

Park: From the beginning, I’ve said I’ll become a leader who’ll bring unity to the party. If the party walks on eggshells around the presidential office and obediently follows its instructions, the party should be called an apparatus of the presidential office rather than a political party. I will become an upright chairman who delivers the voice of the people to the presidential office.

Dong-A: What will you say if you meet the president?

Park: I will emphasize that communicating with the party is the fundamental thing to do for better communication with the people and pursing politics that respects them.

Dong-A: What will you do first if the National Assembly opens?

Park: The pressing issue is beef but the most important is the economy. First of all, the beef issue should be institutionally supported and concluded. I will draw up parliamentary measures to counter inflation and the (faltering) economy. The roundtable meeting among the government and the ruling and opposition camps suggested by the new Democratic Party chairman is a good idea. But first, it should be discussed in the National Assembly. Why must a condition be met for lawmakers to enter the National Assembly? I urge the new leader of the (main opposition) Democratic Party to make a decision.

Dong-A: What’s your view on the candlelight protests?

Park: The sincere message of the people was amply delivered to the government. The government has also taken all possible measures. I hope (protesters) will now hand over the matter to institutions. The majority of the people must also be against the position of certain protesters who are trying to resolve all issues on the streets.

Dong-A: What do you think about the rising call among lawmakers for a constitutional amendment?

Park: The Constitution was written more than 20 years ago. As the social situation has significantly changed since then, there is a need to discuss constitutional revision. This year’s priority should be economic revival and building a foundation on which the government can be stably run. The constitutional amendment should commence next year and be completed next year. As the amendment will be tantamount to opening a Pandora`s box, it could lead to an acute division in public opinion and unbearable social conflict. Therefore, the government should take the initiative and handle it cautiously.

Dong-A: How would you change the power structure?

Park: I prefer a decentralized power structure to the authoritarian presidential system. I think a parliamentary Cabinet or a two-tier government model is ideal. Allowing the president to serve two four-year terms will be nothing short of extending the president’s term to eight years without changing the presidential system. Even the heads of provincial governments are almost always reelected. How can the president, who has the mighty power over the budget and personnel, fail to be reelected?

jkmas@donga.com ditto@donga.com