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[Editorial] Choe Byung-yul was Wrong to Make “Extreme Utterance”

[Editorial] Choe Byung-yul was Wrong to Make “Extreme Utterance”

Posted March. 15, 2004 22:44,   

한국어

Grand National Party Chairman Choe Byung-yul said at a meeting of GNP’s nominated candidates held a day before yesterday that “the GNP should win the general election, which would be a life and death struggle between pro- and anti-Roh camps.” It was an exceedingly inappropriate utterance.

Choe might have intended to encourage candidates for the general election, yet it was inappropriate for the chairman of the leading party to make such remark at a time when a severe conflict between those for and against impeachment exists in public opinion.

Moreover, it was not understandable in a logical sense. Did not Choe go through with the impeachment bill because of President Roh’s violations of election law, his close aides’ scandals, and the terrible economic situation? If he did, he should have not related the impeachment to the general election, but left the impeachment to be judged by the Constitutional Court and encouraged candidates to try their best in the general election. His utterance regarding “the struggle between pro-Roh and anti-Roh” cannot be understood by the nation. Even if other political powers make use of such dichotomy strategy, he should rebuke it. That would be the thing for a leader of the major opposition party to do.

Choe has to ponder over what made this current situation instead of making an “extreme utterance.” An absolute majority of the nation called for the President’s apology. Moreover, the approval rating for Roh is under thirty percent. Nevertheless, about seventy percent of the nation disagreed with the impeachment. If they are not all “pro-Roh,” the reason for their disagreement lies in their disappointment with the GNP. It failed in having the nation trust it as an alternative power. There is no need to mention the illegal fund issue again.

Choe has to look for the GNP’s way out in a different way. If he thinks that a stout struggle will bury the image of a corrupt conservative party and the absence of a leader, it is his miscalculation. He should not show an attitude to avoid the party’s reform all the more by making an excuse of the impeachment.