[Opinion] Representative Han Kwang-Ok`s Ear

The great terror tragedy that shook America`s core, New York`s World Trade Center and Washington`s Pentagon, apparently delivered President Kim Dae-Jung and his faithful group called the Dong Gyo Dong old school from political extremity. As conservative papers, which had been perplexing them for some time, as well as virtually all other papers began to cover all the pages with this shocking news, potentially hot political issues gradually diminished. As people gathered around the TV to witness shocking scenes that could only be seen in Hollywood blockbuster movies, they naturally lost track of Kim Dae-Jung`s `strange personnels` that had been broadcasted only a few days ago. Furthermore, once the countdown for America`s attack on Afghanistan begins, the press and the broadcastings will all focus on `the first war of the 21st century` and people will naturally forget about this issue.

Could this be so? What is the use of making fuss concerning the affirmation through the `formal unanimity` of the Democratic Party`s executive committee of the chief secretary of the President Han Kwang-Ok as the Party`s representative, already appointed by President Kim? Ought we not just bypass it? I don`t think so. Even though we are not able to overturn the situation, we must not remain silent. This is all the more so because this situation cannot be disengaged from President Kim`s leadership and the essence of the present government.

We must first reorganize the facts. On September 3rd, when the proposal for the Minister of Unification Lim Dong-Won`s dismissal from office was affirmed in the National Assembly, the DJP assistance ruptured. On September 6th, the indecisive Prime Minister Lee Han-Dong announced his intention to remain in the government and reported the unofficial appointment of the chief secretary Han as the representative of the Democratic Party. On the same day the Democratic Party members of the supreme council met to talk about their `concern for the way in which personnel affairs are being currently dealt with` and it was agreed that this concern will be conveyed to the president of the party, President Kim through the party representative, Kim Joong-Kwon.

However there was no meeting between representative Kim and the President. On September 8th, 10 am, the members of the supreme council of the Democratic Party held another urgent meeting to deliver individual statements to Cheong Wa Dae, but it was after President Kim had appointed the chief secretary Han as the party`s representative. On September 9th, member of the supreme council Kim Kuen-Tae demanded the dissolution of the Dong Gyo Dong party. On September 10th, the executive committee of the Democratic Party affirms representative Han. On September 11th, Kwon Noh-Gab former member of the supreme council retorts, `the dissolution of Dong Gyo Dong party signifies the dissolution of the Democratic Party`. On September 15th, President Kim confers the letter of appointment to representative Han.

What attracts one`s attention in this process, is that the September 6th `concern for personnel affairs` agreed upon by members of the supreme council was never delivered to President Kim. The party`s representative had made a useless effort. The September 8th urgent meeting of the members of the supreme council was also fruitless. The President`s appointment of the party`s representative had been publicized before the statements of supreme council members reached Cheong Wa Dae.

Kim Keun Tae, a member of the supreme council told me the following during our

meeting last weekend.

``It cannot be true that the committee of the party`s supreme council was entirely ignored. I do not want to believe that this was the work of President Kim. I think the problem lies in the fact that the President is only looking for people around him, `yes men` who would rally around his belief that, `I am taking the right path. If you support me, the reestablishment of the government will be made possible. But why are you not helping me?` I also agree with the main direction. But what is problematic is the method of accomplishing this. It is difficult to gain the support of the party, not to say, the people.``

The Democratic Party and Cheong Wa Dae have in reality been taken over by the Dong Gyo Dong party. When viewed from that fact that they have consistently been seen as objects of human reform, in reverse the `native system of My Way` has become firmly established. Some say that a rough sketch of next year`s presidential election has been drawn, and a personnel closely affiliated to the old school of Dong Gyo Dong is hearing that he is making an effort to `maintain a good expression`. With the loss of the popular sentiment due to one `strange personnel` the assumption of power over the party by the Dong Gyo Dong old school, or the tendency of the presidential election within the Major Party, will not make any difference.

``There will be personnel reform by the beginning of next year at least. Let us wait a little longer.`` ``Wait for what? I`m tired of even talking about it.``

These are the kind of conversations that are being exchanged within the Democratic Party these days. I wonder if representative Han has heard this yet.

Jun Jin-Woo (An Editorial Writer)

Chun Jin-Woo youngji@donga.com