[Editorial] Capital Relocation for the Change of the Ruling Power?

President Roh compared the relocation of the capital to a new power’s establishing a new foundation parting from an old power saying, “Capital relocation implies changes of the era and the ruling power,” which is a seriously wrong idea. This statement makes the Korean nation feel as if they are living in the time when the dynasty was transferred from Geryoe to Joseon by revolution and the capital changed from Gaegyeong to Hanyang.

Cheong Wa Dae explains that President Roh just referred to the meaning of a capital relocation as is contained in history. However, Roh’s remark might arouse suspicion that he has not been treating the capital relocation as one of the strategies for the presidential election and general election but plotting the overthrow of history and values and the liquidation of the people in power. Historians point out that President Roh’s remark contains an anachronistic idea that identifies the change of the government with the change of the dynasties, which is not different from making use of a far-sighted national policy as a strategy for a general election.

The Korean president is the person who is entrusted with the administration for five years by the nation, not an absolute monarch in the era of feudalism. Moreover, it is too dogmatic to think that his campaign pledges were approved by the entire nation just because he was elected as the president.

Since the inauguration President Roh has stressed the unity of the nation and the administration based on the nation’s participation, yet unparalleled conflicts and divisions have emerged in the Korean society. In this situation, President Roh’s inappropriate remark concerning capital relocation may promote conflicts among the nation by dividing them into the ruling people and the ruled people, or the new power and the old power. According to his remark, should even the next ruling power also relocate the capital and have the nation pay the astronomical cost again? This is the definitive reason why capital relocation should not be the exclusive possession of a specific government or power.