Blue House Takes "Arms-Length Approach to Politics"

According to the chief presidential secretary Park Jie-Won, President Kim Dae-Jung quoted as saying on April 24, "The Blue House will maintain its separation approach to politics and maintain an arms-length distance to the party even though a new leadership emerges and a presidential nominee is determined in the Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) convention."

The chief secretary Park relayed the president`s remark made during a visit of MDP active chairman Kim Young-Bae, "We will success when separated with politics, but will fail when mixed with politics," and added, "There will be a misconception when the ruling and opposition camps are not treated equally."

The remark of the president seems to be an expression of neutral position toward the presidential candidates of ruling and opposition parties in the extension of "non-interference on politics" declaration. There are some in the ruling camp who speculate that President Kim may consider a defection from MDP.

In relation to this, the presidential chief press secretary Park Sun-Sook remarked on leading MDP primary contender Roh Moo-Hyun`s alleged intention of visiting President Kim when Roh is officially nominated as the party presidential candidate, saying "We have not received an official request to visit, but we will review the request if it come when the presidential candidates of both ruling and opposition parties are firmly confirmed." This remark is interpreted as the intention to manage election in neutral manner by meeting the ruling and opposition parties` presidential nominees at the same time.

Chol-Hi Lee klimt@donga.com