[Editorial] President Should Offer Apology for Torture Incident

The incident in which that the prosecution used “water torture” and resulted in death came to light but President Kim Dae-jung did not offered an apology for the incident. Because the President as a Novel Peace prize winner often stressed that Korea is an advanced country in terms of human rights, his attitude all the more surprised many people.

Though he mentioned the incident at a cabinet meeting last week, he did not seem to reflect on the prosecution’s barbaric act as the chief executive of a nation. Of course, he said, "I was really shocked and overwhelmed with grief," suggesting how serious the incident was. But it was only a person’s opinion. Who do not have such feelings, watching “water torture” and death resulting from torture, which are reminiscent of the fear under the dictatorship?

At the cabinet meeting, the President called for the regret and reflection of the prosecution, quoting himself as having said early in his term of office, "If a nation is to be in good order and develop, the prosecution should do first." However, he himself did not take responsibility and reflect on the incident. On November 8, when the prosecution announced the result of the investigation, the Office of the President Cheong Wa Dae repeated its saying. Therefore, the President’s attitude did not seem to change at all.

The President is the chief of the government. So, if there is a problem in the prosecution, the President should take accountability for it. He cannot say that he did what he should do just by sagging the Justice Minister and the Prosecutor General. The fact that a government agency tortured a person to death brought the country to shame.

Does it make sense if the President does not take responsibility for that?

Whenever problems occur within the government, the President held the chiefs of related government agencies accountable. The public is no longer blinded by his rhetoric. Now is the time for the President to make an apology and show the attitude of regret. He also should take pledges to review similar cases, in which human rights were violated by a government agency, in other countries and take a step to prevent the repetition of similar situations. Only so torture by government agencies will disappear. If a nation is to be in good shape and develop, the President should first think in a right way.