President Roh, "All Political Funds Should Be Made Public"

The pro-Roh Uri Party made an official launch on November 11 at the gymnastics gymnasium in the Olympic Park in Songpa-gu, Seoul, opening a grand meeting for the formation of the party with 15,000 attendees, including senior representatives, invitees, and foreign diplomatic officials.

During the ceremony, the Uri Party elected Rep. Kim One-ki, Rep. Lee Tae-il and Rep. Lee Kyung-sook as the party’s co-chairmen of the tentative management.

In a congratulatory message to the launch of new party, President Roh Moo-hyun mentioned that he expects Uri Party to be a driving force for the unity of nation and transparent politics with its catchphrase of political reform and national unity.

President Roh also urged, “Now that controversy on political funds came to the surface of the nation’s attention, we should unveil every detail about it and try to find a fundamental solution in order to set up a historical turning-point for political reform.”

“In a bid to overcome regionalism, we should neither abuse nor side with the regional sentiment in the election,” Roh continued. “The current electorate system must be revised at an earlier date to prevent a specific party from monopolizing a specific area.”

Meanwhile, new chairman Rep. Kim One-ki said in his greeting address that Uri party would strive to eradicate those politicians who have been parasitic upon the regionalism from this nation. Kim added, “We will by all means drive for structural reforms, including electorate system and set up a place that inhibits the power of regionalism.”