[Editorial] Rep. Rho, Watch Out Your Words

If a person wants to be a leader, his words should carry weight. It is because his words should work as a principle for his followers. And if his words are to carry weight, he should say the words in a proper time and in a proper place and insist on the words, not if in an unavoidable urgent situation. Moreover, if he tries to become a leader of a country, he should be discreet in his words, considering the point of views of those against him as well as his followers and even further, diplomatic situations and national interest.

When Rho Mu-hyeon, presidential candidate of the Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) was saying Sept. 11, the first anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attack on U.S. soil in a lecture at Yeungnam University, “If a person does not go to the U.S., is he anti-American? So what?” he made a slip of the tongue. The timing of his words and the contents were very improper. Though he backed down saying, “My use of the word, anti-American, is not proper, and if the president of Korea is anti-American, it will cause damage to the national interest,” we feel very embarrassed at his act.

He cannot avoid the criticism that he is indiscreet, though he withdrew his words.

But it seems that he actually did not take back what he said. He seemed to say, “This is what I thought, but I cannot say that in public, so it just depends on your guess.”

In a speech to a civic group last week, at first he said, “As for me, I would like to get rid of Seoul National University, but I would not say so because it make the headlines.”

Rep. Rho should not speak in this way because this style of speech gives the impression that he is making a mockery of the audience. If he is to take back what he just said, he should not say that in the first place. And if that is what he really wants to say, he should stick to that point. If a leader swings his words often, he will have trouble getting confidence of the public. It is insistence in words that Rep. Rho really needs to qualify for the presidency.