The Response of Various Circles about an Assessment of the Public`s Confidence in President.

President Roh Moo-hyun said October 10 that he would subject himself to an assessment of the public`s confidence in him, possibly in the form of a referendum and most citizens were shocked and embarrassed.

Since the Republic of Korea was established, an incumbent president has never willingly asked the public confidence vote about him. Moreover, people worry that the public opinion course for the public confidence vote can possibly bring the national administration disorder or make the economic situation worse.

Therefore, civic organizations and researchers on this issue emphasized that if the president will go through a public confidence vote, then it should be done as soon as possible in order to avoid disorder to the national administration.

The activist group, People`s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, on October 10 criticized, “What President Roh mentioned about an assessment of the public`s confidence in him was an imprudent behavior, and it would be involved in a political strife hereafter, adding to disorder the government‘s administration.”

Kim Suk-jun, of the Citizens United for a Better Society assessed, “It is irresponsible and provocative to reduce the range of national choice. In the situation of many national assignments, the new issue, assessment of the public`s confidence in him will not help the national administration, and it does not contribute to solving the current problem.”

Housewife Lee Hyo-suk asked, “Was it necessary to mention about the assessment of the public`s confidence in such a terrible economic situation? “ and said, “ Now the recovery of economic crisis has priority over his moral duty and the assessment of the public`s confidence.”

A secretary requesting anonymity at the ministry of government administration and home affairs criticized, “Assessment of the public`s confidence in president means to actually elect a president again, which does not help the national economy. Unless he retires, a presidency caused short by his inability to administrate the government is not good, it is desirable to be responsible for the national administration for 5 years.”

An executive member at an economic related office said, “This President’s utterance was a big accident. The reason why foreign companies do not actively invest in Korea is due to certain uncertainty such as the relations between labor groups and capital or the North Korea nuclear problem. It was likely that Roh added another uncertainty.”

Ko Gey-hyun at Citizen’ Coalition for Economic Justice mentioned, “In the course of questioning Choi Do-sul, it is the best that the president helps his investigation. That president mentions an assessment of the public`s confidence in him only adds an extra weight on the national administration.”

Park Young-Jae, the representative of Jinyoung Property Association in Southern Kyungsang Province, Kimhae city, Jinyoung, hometown of President Roh, said, “I thought that President Roh decided to deal head-on with this situation. The nation elected him under the conditions of a five year term. Moreover now important things are happening around the Korea peninsula, and it is desirable that the nation should give the national power to the president. “

Jung chan-young, in Gwagnsu Nam-gu, Pungnam-dong said, “We welcome the decision of President Roh and hope that the political suspicions can die down through the assessment of the public`s confidence.”

Civic groups and researchers said that the method and timing of assessment of the public`s confidence should be decided as soon as possible in order to prevent the national administration disorder.

Ha Seung-chang, a head official of ‘Citizen’ Action Network’ cleared his opinion, “Once President mentioned assessment of the public`s confidence in him, he should decide the method and timing of assessment of the public`s confidence as soon as possible.”

Professor Sin Il-seup of the Honam University’s History & Culture Department pointed out, “ It was likely that President Roh mentioned assessment of the public`s confidence in him to clear several suspicions and settle down the unresting national administration. As long as he said assessment of the public`s confidence in him, he should show that the method and timing of assessment of the public`s confidence can specifically prevent other confusion.”

Lee Dong-wo, an entrepreneur (46, Gyeonggi Provice, Seongnam City, Bundang) said, “If President Roh undergoes an assessment of the public`s confidence in him, it is right that it will be done as soon as possible, not at a vague point of time ahead of a general election. It is the time that President Roh clears his opinion about the issue of dispatching troops to Iraq and the new political party issue, and he should not face the issue about the assessment of the public`s confidence vaguely.”