[Editorial] Two-man Race Should Not Lead to Division of Nation in Two

The presidential race is arranged in such a way that it will be a battlefield of Lee Hui-chang of Grand National Party and Roh Moo-hyun of New Millennium Party, the two major candidates who contrast with each other in numerous respects. The new arrangement may bring about positive effects in that highlighting the agenda of this age would help the citizens determine their choices. On the other hand, it is worried that the two-man race might drive the presidential campaigning into a dichotomy type of confrontation and conflict.

We experienced a similar situation in the 1971 presidential election wherein Park Jung-hee and Kim Dae-jung faced each other. This was the first year when the regional hatred was brought to surface, an idea that has wreaked havoc on the Korean politics for the next 31 years. The age of three Kims, which is based on the idea, is getting close to an end. At this moment, we don`t want to see the beginning of another age filled with division and hatred. If that really happened at all, we would have to pay heavy for the next scores of years to come.

Contrary to our worries, what is being shown does not look so sanguine. The slogans both camps have mobilized tell us something. For example, both camps seem to make efforts to draw lines among the voters with slogans like "Extreme Liberals v. Conservatives," or "Old generation politics v. New Age of Politics." Nowadays, politicians frequently use terms such as "Anti-Lee Hui-chang," and "Anti-Roh Moo-hyun." Listening to these, we feel scary. Politicians seem ready to kill their opponents.

Considering the supporting regions and supporters of both candidates, the regional hatred would not be like the one before. The ideological confrontation might be severer, though. Thinking of this, we get worried. It is very, very unfortunate to hear some politicians name the race a race between the haves and the have-nots.

We don`t think the two candidates should be hostile to each other, as long as both of them admire democracy and market economy. Then, differences in region, age and social group will help each other, rather than force them to face each other. What is really needed to realize the political reform and get rid of the age of three Kims is to get rid of the leadership of division that has been fostered through hatred and disliking.

We wish the two candidates, aware of the aftermath possibly caused by their campaigning, could increase the productivity of campaigning through self-restrained and gracious confrontation of policies. Please show us a leadership of harmony, which does not exclude someone who does not share ideas.