[Focus] President`s Nobel trip debated

Disputes over whether President Kim Dae-Jung should attend the Nobel Peace Prize award ceremony has been getting hot.

The splinter United Liberal Democrats (ULD), a coalition of the ruling Millennium Democratic Party (MDP), added fuel to the debate by issuing a statement Monday saying, ¡°The President needs to consider not participating in the award ceremony for an urgent stabilization of home administration.¡±

Those who support the president¡¯s going to Oslo advocate that his receiving the Nobel Peace Prize himself would be helpful to raising national credibility overseas.

¡°(The president) is neither sick, nor is there a serious problem (at home),¡± Rep. Suh Young-Hoon, chairman of the MDP, said. ¡°There is no reason (for him) to give up such a good opportunity to enhance the prestige of the country.¡±

A senior diplomat, who declined to be identified, said: ¡°The president¡¯s participation in the award ceremony is a sort of a promise to the international community, so he must keep it. I can¡¯t find any reason why he should not go (to Oslo), because his non-participation would certainly make international society think Korea¡¯s internal situation is really serious.¡±

A university professors added: ¡°To link the Nobel Prize and the home administration is itself a political theory. The economic crisis is an issue the president, government and people have to resolve in total unity. It has nothing to do with the Nobel Prize.¡±

Those who oppose the President¡¯s participation in the ceremony, citing the recent series of financial scandals and sluggish restructuring, claim that the president should pay more attention to home administration.

¡°I think that it will be right for the president to have a correct understanding of the urgent situation the nation is now faced with and to make a decision for himself,¡± Rep. Kwon Chul- Hyeon, spokesman for the main opposition Grand National Party (GNP), said.

Rep. Kim Yong-Hwan of the New Korean Party said: ¡°I¡¯ve heard an opinion that first lady Lee Hee-Ho might accept the prize (on behalf of the president).¡±

A ranking official at the Office of Prime Minister proposed that the number of official suites and expenses (for the trip) be cut drastically.

Lee Suk-Yeon, secretary general of the Citizens Coalition for Economic Justice, or Kyongsillyon, said, ¡°Disputing over a happy national event becomes a laughing-stock for the international community, but the ruling camp also has to concede various messages from the public.¡±

Meanwhile, presidential spokesman Park Joon-Young said: ¡°(The president¡¯s) participation in the Nobel Peace Prize award ceremony is positive for enhancing the international image of the nation, so it will be helpful to the long-term interest of the nation. We have to have the wisdom to see not only the Korean map, but the world map in the era of globalization.¡±

Choi Young-Mook ymook@donga.com