[Editorial] Does Uri Party Have Ambition for Mutual Politics?

About a week ago, the leading Open Uri Party’s chief, Jung Dong-young, and the first opposition party’s leader, Grand National Party leader, Park Kuen-hye, addressed their “agreement” at summit talks to prepare for the foundation of mutual politics. But the rumors that have leaked out of the leading party seem to conflict with this cooperative theme.

The controversy over Premier Kim Hyuk-kyu is a representative example. As a matter of fact, it is still not clear as to whether or not President Roh Moo-hyun has tentatively decided on Kim to be the next premier. But it currently has provoked the Grand National Party. Ignoring the existence of the opposition, the rumor reveals the party’s political intention of securing the victory in the by-election, which is scheduled to be held in the Pusan-Kyungnam (PK) area on June 5.

Despite harsh conflicts over the rumor, the leading party is tending to speak in favor of Kim, pointing out Kim’s former experience of having been recommended by GNP as a candidate for Kyungnam Province governor three times so far. But let us think about it in the reverse way. Why would the GNP concern itself over this rumor about Kim when he has been recommended more than couple of times to be a provincial governor, been scouted by the leading party just a month before the general election, and been dealt with as a strong candidate for the next premier of the country? Setting aside his ability as a competent administrational executive, his morality can become the point of adverse criticism.

The public opinion of the April 15 general election has strongly pointed out that “Challenge politics” or “Obstinacy politics” should not prevent cooperation between the political world and the people. Quite a lot of pending problems such as personal livelihoods, economic recovery, and political reformation are waiting to be handled. It is absurd to organize a confrontational ambience between the leading and the opposition parties at this early stage of the new parliament because of the mere rumor of the new premier appointment.

Mutual politics begin with the spirit of extra consideration towards others. If the other side shows a mood of rejection, one should know how to give up on something no matter how much desire he or she has. Politics is not a game for making someone surrender, but a procedure of persuasion with concessions and comprehension. Additionally, now is the time that the president has lost his authority due to the impeachment judgment currently going on in the Constitutional Court. It is clumsy to talk over something related to the cabinet reshuffling during this quagmire of uncertainty, even in party meetings.