Though Not Chosen as Candidate, Chung Will Honor Agreement

As for the resumed single candidate talks with Roh Moo-hyun, presidential candidate of the Millennium Democratic Party (MDP), Chung Mong-joon, presidential nominee of National Alliance 21 said on Nov. 20, "Our goal is not the single candidacy itself, but victory in the upcoming presidential election. For that purpose, we act with reserve in many ways in order to get cooperation from Roh."

In one of this newspaper`s series of interviews with presidential candidates, Chung related, "I didn`t know that the other one who was not picked as a single candidate should assume the post of the chief of the joint election preparation committee. Anyway, now that I accepted the mutual agreement, I will honor it."

Chung made sure that a single candidate should be picked up before the official registration date of Nov. 26.

He also hinted at his intention to initiate the revision of the Constitution for the presidential system before the 17th general elections in 2004. He says that the power of the president and the prime minister should be separated and the president, with the tenure of 4 years, should be allowed to serve once again through the revision before 2008, when the term of office of the new president and lawmakers end simultaneously.

With regard to the nuclear issue of the North, he reiterated, "If the North did not show a sincere attitude in resolving the nuclear issue, he would impose sanctions in peaceful ways, such as canceling aid in cash and stopping all kinds of inter-Korean economic exchange programs including Mt. Geumgang project and the linking of Gyeongui-line and Donghae-line.

He added, "Unless Pyongyang promises to stop all kinds of nuclear activities, scrap all nuclear-related facilities and comply with inspections, the heavy oil shipments and provision of two light water reactors should be suspended. Whether to deliver the fuel oil should be decided after official confirmation of Pyongyang`s cancel of the nuclear weapons development program."

As for policies for chaebol, he said that he would ease regulations on the ceiling on the total amount of investment of chaebol step by step in order to turn the current `60s economic system centered on regulations into a 21st century`s global standard system. But he assured that he would strictly control mutual investment between subsidiaries.

He also pledged that to get rid of the current real estate speculation, he would designate more areas as speculation areas, ban the sale of allotment of the apartment to others before the payment is made and put limit on application for allotments. He also suggested the registration of the market price of real estate to increase transparency in the land sale.

Sung-Won Park swpark@donga.com