Posted February. 05, 2004 23:42,
It seems that President Roh Moo-hyun’s determination to risk everything for the upcoming general elections is intensifying. Regarding the controversy over illegal campaigning by civic groups, President Roh claimed that if their activities did not undermine the elections, they should not be condemned as the Red Guards but be widely acknowledged and encouraged, at a media conference with the Gangwon province media.
Though President Roh must have been trying to emphasize the positive side of political participation by the people, his opinion can be read as a request to the groups to actively support the general elections campaign, especially when one takes into account the fact that most civic groups are pro-Roh. The “People’s Participation 0415,” a civic group swarming with members of the Nosamo, is already ready for action.
As it is, President Roh was already being criticized for eagerly sending his cabinet members and aides to run in the general elections. The general opinion is that the new appointments to vice minister posts last week were made to fill up posts vacated for the general elections. The many policies proposed every day are also not free from the political sparring. Reduction of obligatory military services, extension of workers’ retirement age, and 80,000-job creation in the public sector are all controversial policies and viewed by the opposition party as wielding power for political advantage.
That is why people are saying that the president is betting everything on the general elections. It is even difficult for the president to deny, with the new appointments, the controversial policies and now, the “mobilization orders” to pro-Roh civic groups. It is no surprise that GNP leader Choe Byung-yul and MDP leader Chough Soon-hyung warned that if the president continues to exploit his powers for the general elections, he could face impeachment.
The president must do his utmost for the nation, not for the elections. He said himself that he would devote himself to improving the economy and public affairs this year. He must consider how long the side effects would last if he brought on suspicions of intervention in the elections on himself. The president’s betting all on the general elections will not help national interests or the well-being of the people.