President Roh Spent One Billion Won in Nomination Race

President Roh Moo-hyun made an appeal for public support for the Uri Party on Tuesday, saying, “I expect that people will show their strong support for the Uri Party in the coming April general elections.” President Roh’s remark, however, is once again creating a stir as his opposition claims that it is not appropriate for the president to meddle in the general elections. In response to President Roh’s statement, the Grand National Party (GNP) and Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) immediately claimed that “President Roh is carrying out advance campaigning without hesitation.”

In order to properly deal with state affairs in the remainder of my term, I need pro-government backing. That’s why I want to win the upcoming general elections,” Roh said during a conference hosted by the Korean Broadcasting Journalists’ Club at the new SBS headquarters building in Mokdong, Seoul.

“I would do everything legally and justifiably possible to support the pro-government Uri Party in winning the most number of seats. And I believe the people who elected me president will make clear, through their votes in the elections, whether they want to give me their backing, so that I can handle state affairs more smoothly in the next four years of my presidency, or if they want me to step down,” President Roh added.

In response to the conference, GNP spokesman Eun Jin-su claimed that President Roh, who is celebrating his first year in office, is monopolizing various media through which he is praising the government’s achievements and blowing his own horn. “The opposition parties should also get an opportunity to talk to the public through media, at least in order for us to respond to the accusations made by President Roh, who is monopolizing media coverage,” Eun said.

MDP spokesperson Jang Jeon-hyeong also condemned President Roh, saying, “The president is openly supporting the Uri Party using television, 50 days ahead of the general elections.”

In the meantime, President Roh practically acknowledged that illegal funds were raised during the last MDP’s presidential nomination race MDP by saying, “I think I spent a little bit more than a billion won for the nomination race between March 2001, when the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries resigned, and April 2002, when the race finished.

“The total amount of campaign funds slightly exceeds one billion won and most of the funds were spent in between November 2001 and April 2002,” President Roh added.

In regard to affiliating himself with the Uri Party, the president said, “I will definitely join the party in an effort to carry out responsible politics, but I will join the Uri Party (as late as possible) in order to avoid a fuss or unnecessary disputes.”

In addition President Roh said that “I keep my promise by seeking a public confidence vote on his leadership in a way that would be serious enough for the public to feel they have not been ridiculed.”

Myoung-Gun Lee Jeong-Hun Kim gun43@donga.com jnghn@donga.com