Respecting Public Opinion for Single Candidate Issue

Independent lawmaker Chung Mong-joon expressed opposition to North Korea`s demand for the Korean government`s guarantee of Hyundai`s payment on Oct. 1. The company should pay 560 million dollars to the North in its Mt. Geumgang tourism project.

At a discussion meeting on Oct. 1 organised by Kwanhun Club, a group of leading journalists, he said, "Considering fairness among business, the government should be careful about the issue of providing subsidy to Mt. Geumgang project."

He also promised that if elected president, he would wipe out regionalism, corruption and irregularities, and discrimination against women and he would build a country in which common sense would work. He added that confirmation hearing would be held for chiefs of the Public Prosecutor`s Office, the National Police Agency, the National Tax Service, the Financial Supervisory Commission, the Fair Trade Commission, and the National Intelligence Service

Regarding North Korea policy, he said, "Talk is the only way to improve the inter-Korean relations. If asked whether Pyongyang is easy to talk to, I`ll say it is not easy at all. However, using armed forces could not be an option."

As for the issue of fielding a single candidate by joining forces with Roh Moo-hyun, presidential candidate of the Millennium Democratic Party, he made room for the possibility of a single candidate, saying, "It could not be done forcibly. But public opinion will be considered first."

Sung-Won Park swpark@donga.com