[Editorial] Rep. Choe’s Blame of Others Will Not Resolve Any Problems

The perception of reality of GNP Chairman Choe Byung-yul shown through his speech at the Kwanhun Club on February 16 was nothing but disappointing. He said that former president Lee Hoi-chang was to blame for the recent split within the party and that he would trust the party’s public nomination committee to decide whether or not he should run for the general election. I want to ask: “Does he really think that those simple things could solve the crisis currently faced by his party?”

“From anyone’s perspective, the center of illicit fund-raising was former party president Lee Hoi-chang,” said Choe, reminding the public of the fact that Lee himself is willing to go to prison for the party. The comment can be interpreted as a statement that the party can only live with Lee’s going to prison and being held responsible for the illicit fund-raising.

Of course, the exterior reason for the GNP crisis is the illicit fund raising, as reminded by the “truckloads of cash” scandal. But, that’s not all there is to it. The real reason behind the exterior is their dishonest attitude toward successive illicit fund scandals. Their leniency and insensitiveness toward the corruption of Rep. Suh Chung-won and dealing with his discharge consent bill and the public nomination process already put up the party for criticism for its shallowness: those were the factors that fueled the crisis.

More fundamental problems lie in the GNP’s attitude of watching and reacting to the failures of the Roh regime, and anti-Roh sentiments without giving any independent voices to lead the party in the Assembly. In addition to this, Choe is now busy finding blame in others without any self-reflection. It is highly likely that this will amplify the tension within the party.

Choe should not hold back admitting that the blame is on him. Then he should offer workable visions for his party’s future as an alternative conservative that the people can trust and rely on. I hope that Choe carefully reflects on which is the way for him and for his party to survive.