[Editorial] Discordance among CheongWaDae, Cabinet, and Our Party

The three axes of national administration, Cheong Wa Dae, the cabinet, and Our Party (new party) are working separately. The nation is confused and tired of their antagonistic views to one another. In a difficult situation where harmony among them is indispensable, the renovation of administration, so to speak, has caused ministerialists to be more urgent than a public vote of confidence.

Prime Minister Goh Kun blamed the president, his close aide, and the government for the instability of national administration in the national assembly. No one has the full background behind it, but the prime minister’s remark that the president is the first to be responsible for national administration testifies the discordance between the president and the cabinet. Goh also complained of the president’s announcement to the public of a vote of confidence without discussing it with anyone.

In addition, Cheong Wa Dae and Our Party, “the party in power mentally” are antagonistic to each other also. Our Party is pressing Cheong Wa Dae, pushing the claim for renovation of ministerialists and criticizing the decision to dispatch additional troops to Iraq without any discussion in advance. Our Party does not seem to be in accordance with the cabinet either. It argues that the ministers who do not understand the president’s intentions should withdraw. Meanwhile, the cabinet complains that Our Party always points out flaws.

We can find a structural aspect in this discordance. It is true that it may be difficult to expect systemic cooperation among parties, administration, and Cheong Wa Dae in today’s situation, where no legal party in power exists because the president does not belong to any party. However, it is not impossible to avoid such discordance and conflict.

For example, if the three had a sufficient discussion before the public vote of confidence or dispatching of troops and agreed to follow the president’s decision once it was made, the result would have been different. In short, it means that there is no one who can draw cooperation between Cheong Wa Dae and the cabinet. This is why the renovation of ministerialists is urgent. The nation does not want political strategies such as a public vote of confidence. What it wants is the daily satisfaction from the competent government that leads flawless administration.