[Editorial] Let’s Accomplish Mutual Politics by Respecting the People’s Opinions

In the 17th general parliamentary election, the Open Uri Party (OUP) won an overwhelming victory. However, considering the distribution of the parliamentary seats, the Grand National Party (GNP) and OUP have formed the two biggest political forces in the National Parliament. The whole composition of the Parliament has changed into having a powerful leading party, but the people have not allowed any political factions to monopolize the national administration. Both the winners and losers should humbly accept the public’s opinion.

The overwhelming victory of OUP seems to show that the opposition of the public to the impeachment bill and the people’s anxieties over the instability of the national administration in the event that the leading party becomes the minority in National Parliament was reflected in the outcome of the vote. The shoulders of the elected politicians become heavier to that extent. As both the nominal and virtual leading party, the OUP should lead the national administration with a sense of responsibility. In order to achieve this goal, it has to acknowledge the opposition parties as its faithful political company.

Regarding the opposition parties as a target of exclusion will not result in mutual politics through conversation and cooperation. The leading party should not corner the opposition parties as a conservative and corrupted political power, and the opposition party should not drive the leading party as the popularists. We have already experienced serious conflicts of ideology, generation gap, and regional rancor during the period of election campaign. No more conflicts and disruption should be allowed to break down our society.

As a majority in the National Parliament, the OUP should show an unlimited range of responsibility, spirit of balance, and professionalism in the national administration to the public. Any discrimination or segregated manner of exercising politics should be ceased immediately. Rather than striking up a controversy over ideology, the leading party should answer how the country and people will ride out the current economic crisis.

In advance of facing the impeachment bill against President Roh, the people were not very generous to the OUP. If the OUP were to push forward its policy with its numerical predominance in National Parliament, it would stir a stronger resistance from the public and political disturbance will become aggravated.

The Grand National Party should also thoroughly understand the reason for its defeat in this election. Its unveiled corruption and failure in grasping the flow of the current society are strong reasons for its defeat. However, this defeat can be sublimated into a momentum for renovating itself into a sound and reasonable political power consisting of conservatives. The public has assumed the role of checking the leading party to the GNP because of that reason. As an axis of the political world, the GNP should take initiative to enhance the politics of Korea up a notch.

The biggest beneficiary of this election is the Democratic Liberal Party. Succeeding in making inroads into parliament, it solved their long-cherished desire for participating in formal politics. But, this is not the end of its assignment. Its viewpoint toward our society from parliament will be very different from that of the outside. It should win the people’s confidence in advance of conducting anything. In order to secure this fundamental background of support, it should revise its ordinances and policies, which are not harmonized with our constitutional spirit and identity. No progressive political faction will remain if it denies democracy and capitalism. Inside of that framework, it should suggest its firm resolution and vision for the future of Korea.

Though the fact that many female politicians are allowed to participate in politics can be exalted, regional rancor has not been overcome. Though it has alleviated a bit, the composition of west-ministerial party-east-opposition party has reappeared. Persistent efforts to end regional and local politics should be maintained in the future. In order to achieve this goal, mutual politics is indispensable. The leading and opposition party should exhibit brand new images with mutual cooperation and conversation.