[Editorial] President Kim Lacks Serious Consideration about Corruption

President Kim Dae-Jung strongly stressed the need to eliminate corruption, stating in his speech of the New Year`s Press Conference with regard to the recent Gate series yesterday, "I will take advantage of this crisis to eliminate the corruption. I will lead this fight against corruption with an indomitable resolve."

President Kim apologized about the series of scandals and clarified that the elimination of corruption will be the primary task of the last year of his term saying "Frankly speaking, I am at a loss by the series of Gates since the end of last year."

Unfortunately, however, President Kim seems to have a lack of conscience about why and from where the corruption spread. President Kim defined the corruption case as `corruption cases of some venture industries.` He stated, "Some government officials, financial staffs, and even former and incumbent officials of Cheong Wa Dae are involved in the corruption cases of some venture industries."

Is that true? The suspected Gates that have stirred the whole nation and driven the people to the dead end of disappointment and frustration are not simply corruption cases of some venture business. They are not simple corruption cases in which some government officials and former and incumbent officials of Cheong Wa Dae are involved. The close aides of the President such as Senior Secretary to the President of Civil Administration and former Senior Secretary to the President of Public Information, incumbent Minister of Government Information Agency and a son of the President are involved. In addition, core government organizations such as National Intelligence Service, Public Prosecution, and the Police are involved in some Gates respectively. In brief, it`s like an inventory of government corruption.

In what place is the government corruption rooted? As indicated even by the Presidential runners of the New Millennium Democratic Party, it`s rooted in the wrong human resource management. Particularly, one particular network in authoritative organizations has become a matrix of `corrupted connections`. Such a wrong management of human resources is derived from the `private system` of power rather than a public line. However, President Kim remarked that "Juman management was truly unsatisfactory but has improved significantly compared to the past." His serious consideration of the root of the problem is remarkably lacking in his perspective.

President Kim must act upon detail measures to root off the corruption of the government. If not, his rhetoric on the elimination of corruption will never touch the heart of the people, and a Presidential will that never moves the heart of the people will end up with a mere political slogan. We are in a `national emergency` situation that cannot be overcome by rhetoric.