[Opinion] Why Do They Have No Clue about the Administration Crisis?

The Kim Dae-Jung administration is currently in a crisis. They have shown such deplorable ethical conduct and have irretrievably lost the people`s confidence. When you look at what goes on inside the administration, they seem to deserve it. They did not get into this trouble while making their best effort but brought about the trouble by doing absolutely nothing. One feels little pity for them. The bigger problem, however, is that they do not see that the present situation is one of crisis. They seem to be thinking that they will ride it out by the power of their will. The baseless and thoughtless reshuffling of the Cabinet is a clear example of this.

One wonders whether they respect the people or have made a fiercely determined effort to run the country right. If they did, they would not be in the situation they are in right now. Were not the cases of political corruption spreading and predicted long before? However, the administration regarded every wave of criticism as mere passing wind, trying to resolve the matter in the easiest way possible and saving their skin for the moment. They completely disregarded the warning that political corruption happens because of special interests because they took national administrative responsibility too lightly and lackadaisically. One cannot help but ask whether this administration has what it takes in terms of human resources to handle the job of running the country.

Why is the present situation a crisis? First, the organization that supports the foundation of the administration is shaking. Second, the people no longer trust in the administration. Just a glimpse at the immediate President`s nephew-in-law treasure incident shows the chief presidential secretary who assists the President at his side and the ROK Navy executive changing their stories around (to put it in a positive light) or simply lying. Who would trust this kind of administration? Third, the President does not know the reason why the administration is shaking to its foundations and where the responsibility lies.

The thing to worry about now is not the administrative crisis but the crisis of Korean society. The players in the administration will disappear when the term ends, but the scattered seeds will remain like black sediment in society. This sediment is drowning Korean society and ruining it. The spreading corruption and tide of cynicism rise and fill every corner, and the people`s vitality and spirit are falling. What worse wound can one inflict and how many years do we need to heal the wound? The present administration has no duty more urgent than taking care of the political corruption scandals. Yet, the Cabinet reshuffling several days ago is proof that the administration knows next to nothing about the public sentiment. The saying that one sows what one reaps applies well to political crises like this. As this newspaper said before, crushing the people`s spirit is a crime. It is most definitely a grave offense.

Choi Kyu-Chul (Editorial Staff Writer)

kihang@donga.com