[Editorial] Tactical Political Realignment Unthinkable

The president’s political aide, Moon Hee-sang, hinted at the possible merge of the Uri Party with Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) on TV. He said that since the Uri Party gained an “unstable majority” with 152 seats in National Assembly, the time might be right to merge with MDP. Whatever his intention was, we are not convinced by his remarks.

The recent general election clearly reflected the public’s opinion. People gave the Uri Party enough seats to become the majority party, but not enough to monopolize power at the National Assembly. We now want to witness win-win politics in which works are done through dialogue and compromise. The ruling party should not go against the will of the people.

Mr. Moon’s remarks are not even in line with President Roh Moo-hyun’s. At the dinner party to celebrate the newly-elected lawmakers’ success, the president said that the 152 seats would keep them from falling into conceit. Some say that the ruling party is considering the merge because it might lose the majority. Several lawmakers of the ruling party are being investigated for their violation of the election law. But even if the Uri Party loses the majority, it should try to reclaim it by winning the by-elections. That is the new and right politics that all people anticipate.

Tactical political realignment destroys trust between the ruling and opposing parties. No opposing party is willing to dialogue and compromise with a ruling party that seeks a merger without any hesitation. The opposition parties’ mistrust with the Uri Party has already deepened, and the merge with MDP will be only seen as the ruling party’s political maneuvering to create an absolute majority.

We once witnessed distorted and unjust old politics when the ruling parties coaxed and sometimes coerced politicians to join them in order to increase their influence. Such old politics should be eliminated. Tactical political realignment is unthinkable.