[Editorial] Let Money Rule The Elections?

It is very doubtful whether or not the three opposition parties, the Grand National Party (GNP), the Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) and United Liberal Democratic Party, have a will for political reforms. The bill passed as a majority opinion at the National Assembly’s ad hoc committee for political reforms two days ago and calling for an end to “money elections” are worlds apart as it is designed to disable the National Election Committee’s watchdog power over electoral irregularities. Instead of including legislative proposals by the Pan-National Conference for Political Reforms, the committee’s amendment bill, as indicated in a clause on the misfeasance of the electoral watchdog, dangerously borders on retrogressive reform.

In the face of increasing criticisms by civil-society groups and the electoral regulatory body, committee chairman Mok Yo-sang said, “There will be no changes for the worse.” The committee, which initially planned to pass the bill no later than yesterday, will continue to discuss this for another day or two. However, political reforms will merely end in talk if the majority opinion reveals the opposition parties’ lack of such a political will.

However, they cannot dodge the issue this time. Since members of the ad hoc committees have decided to continue the debate, they should not be swayed by their own partisan or political vast interests. They should not reverse the committee administrators’ decision to keep the scope and the level of the regulatory body’s watch power at where they are now.

What period are we in? Prosecution probes into the presidential campaign slush, which are still underway, graphically show the electoral process stained with dirty money. It is time we genuinely need institutional reforms to punish the politicians implicated in the secret funds and to end money politics. After all, was it the two opposition leaders, Choe Byul-yul of the GNP and Chough Soon-hyung of the MDP who have emphasized the importance of political reforms whenever they had a chance? Then their will should resonate in the amendment bill. The GNP, which has been criticized for using such outlandish ways as truckloads of cash and bundles of checks disguised as books in misappropriating illicit political donations, should lead the way if it wants to remain relevant as a political party.

The ad hoc committee should come up with a genuine reform bill that can bring about political transparency and an election that does not require money. There must not be another step taken back in fixing money politics.