[Editorial] Stop Politicizing Voters in the Chungcheong Province

If Kim Jong-pil(JP), chairman of the United Liberal Democrats (ULD) assumes the position as a `king maker` again in the upcoming presidential election, the nation`s politics will never able to move forward. But rival political parties are actively pursuing to form an alliance with JP, casting a pall over the election landscape. Both political parties making sheep`s eyes at JP and JP being opportunistic are making mockery of the public.

More disappointing is the about-face of politicians, who, until recently, disregarded JP and the ULD as timeserving. Are they the same people, who clamored for political reform and the overcoming of the political dominance by `Three Kims`? These politicians tried to bring JP`s political life to an end. But now they are claiming that they have much in common with JP in ideology and philosophy. If that is the case, they should have joined forces with JP much earlier or after the presidential election.

Underpinning the `JP`s sudden popularity` is the dangerous regionalism that takes residents of the Chungcheong region hostage. Considering this fact, the virtual victims are voters of the Chungcheong Province. Whenever the election landscape becomes unpredictable, they might be able to enjoy the sweet taste of power with JP and his confidants walking on a tightrope. But as a result voters of the regions have always been ripped off.

In 1990, three rival parties formed a mega-party on the pretext that they would serve the public. In 1997, Incumbent President Kim Dae-jung enticed JP with his promise to shift to the cabinet system to bring him to the fold. But the two collusions were aimed solely at obtaining power, and the collusions ended up miserably. And JP, who served as prime minister during the incumbent administration, has repeated his nerve-racking political acrobatics for the past 5 years.

By seeking an alliance with JP, political parties are once again resorting to regionalism to win the election. They do not even consider the havoc it possibly wreaks on voters in the Chungcheong region. Beware, politicians! Stop making mockery of voters in the Chungcheong region.