Korea stuck in political impasse amid bipartisan strife

Korea faces a political leadership crisis, with both the new president and opposition leaders busy pointing fingers at each other amid an absence of dialogue and compromise.

President Park Geun-hye criticized opposition parties Monday by saying, “Opposition parties seem to seriously believe that they cannot move until their demands are met.” In response, Moon Hee-sang, head of the emergency council of the main opposition Democratic United Party, said, "Can the new government bring about an era of the people’s happiness while ignoring law and parliament`s right to legislation?” While a fierce bipartisan fight continued, Kim Jong-hoon, the nominee to head the new Future Creation and Science Ministry and considered the best among all Cabinet appointees, resigned. Critics lamented that the country lost out in talent as well as in politics.

In a talk to the people at Chunchugwan Press Hall, President Park said, “(The establishment of the Future Ministry) is my belief and governing philosophy, and the future of this county depends on it. As the president of Korea, I strongly believe that I cannot step back on this matter.” This clearly showed that she will refuse to compromise with opposition parties over the functions and roles of the new ministry.

Ninety minutes after the president spoke to the nation, Moon in an emergency news conference said, “The presidential office has recently ignored not only opposition parties but also the ruling party, trying to turn the legislature into a slave. This is like when the ruling and opposition parties are playing chess, a bystander tries to overturn the chessboard.” The opposition party member blasted the president as “going the way of arrogance and self-righteousness.

Both President Park and Moon also insisted that what they were doing was for the people. The chief executive emphasized “damage to the people” while Moon insisted on “the people’s consent.” Experts say, however, that there is no place for the people when both sides are so hostile to each other and unwilling to compromise.

The most urgent issue is securing export competitiveness. The Knowledge Economy Ministry should take the lead in this matter, but cannot function amid the restructuring of the government. While the presidential office and opposition parties are engaged in fierce political warfare, exports in January and February grew by just 0.6 percent year-on-year.

egija@donga.com