[Editorial] Visit to Opposition Party Should Be Different from That of Past

Since the President-elect, Roh Moo-hyun, visited the office of the opposition Grand National Party (GNP), the frosted relationship between the ruling camp and the opposition party has seemed to thaw. The opposition party welcomed him there. In addition, the bill on the take-over of the president’s job and the bill on confirmation hearing were passed right away. The ruling and opposition parties had delayed treating the two bills in order to insist on their own ways. The signs of politics pursuing mutual survival found here and there have brought new hopes to Korean People. We hope that politics will be just like this, nothing more, nothing less.

Cautioning that this trend in politics could be short-lived, we remind you of what happened five years ago. At that time we basked in these feelings. It was when right after his election, the then President-elect Kim Dae-jung visited the GNP office and shook hands with the then chairman Lee Hoi-chang. They even promised to join forces in order to revive the weakening economy and restore national stability. However, their promises ended as empty rhetoric. Just a few days later, the ruling and opposition camps exchanged harsh words each other. There was a six-month long deadlock regarding confirmation of the prime minister. As a result, there was no prime minister to recommend for cabinet minister posts. To create a cabinet, the last prime minister under Kim Young-sam’s government exercised the right to recommend as a temporary measure.

Against this backdrop, investigation into and crack on the former ruling camp continued, and discord between the ruling and opposition parties worsened. The faltering relationship creaked and tired people. Since then, President Kim has never visited the GNP headquarters and meetings between the president and the leader of the opposition party occurred far between.

At this time, the ruling and opposition parties should not forget their original intention. To do so, they should be precautious against mutual misunderstanding and mistrust. One of the surest ways is to meet face to face often. Rather speaking unilaterally or issuing statements, they should solve problems through dialogue, which will also be beneficial to people. The ruling and opposition headquarters are within a foot. And it is a 30-minute distance between the Presidential Office of Cheong Wa Dae and the GNP office. It means if they try to meet with each other often, it is not difficult at all.

Mr. Roh should be active in having meetings with the opposition camp. He should not reach out to it just when he needs some help. For its part, the opposition party also should take the president’s hand without hesitation for the sake of public interest.