Presidential Race Runners Criticize `Kim Dae-Jung`s Men`

As various `gates` have sprung up with members of the core Cheong Wa Dae and National Intelligence Agency leadership implicated in the scandals, presidential race runners in the New Millennium Democratic Party are criticizing President Kim Dae-Jung`s personnel policy and leadership style.

NMDP standing advisor Rhee In-Je stated on the 11th, "The report that core leaders in the Cheong Wa Dae who directly attend to the President and in the intelligence bodies were involved (in the various gates) is really shocking. Personnel built on regional and school ties weaken the monitoring process of each governmental body."

Standing advisors Chung Dong-Young and Kim Keun-Tae commented that the monitoring system did not operate properly due to `backroom decisions.`

Mr. Chung stated, "Due to the employment of personnel based on backroom decisions, the system failed to appoint individuals of ability and character." Mr. Kim also stated, "Not listening the public opinion during the clothing lobby incident and appointing Public Prosecutor General Kim Tae-Jung as Minister of Justice was the beginning of the end for personnel policy. This happened because of the failure to overcome political patronage and favoritism."

Standing advisor Roh Moo-Hyun diagnosed the cause of personnel failure as "the decision to appoint personnel on limited information and before popular approval had time to solidify."

Standing advisor Kim Joong-Kwon stated, "Although the President established clear personnel appointment standards at the beginning of his term, these became lax later on." while You Jong-Keun, governor of Northern Cholla commented, "Sympathy policy that sought to help people who had survived hardship is to blame."

On the other hand, standing advisor Hahn Hwa-Kap expressed a different opinion saying "The problem lies in personnel conduct, rather than the President`s personnel policy or monitoring method per se."

At a speech given at the Pax Koreana 21 Research Institute on the 10th, Mr. Han pointed his criticism to particular presidential race runners by saying, "There are individuals who are criticizing every single detail in order to distance themselves from the present administration."

Yong-Gwan Jung yongari@donga.com