“Why Are you Hedging on Your Pledge to Hold a Referendum?”

As it has been confirmed that President Roh Moo-hyun had stated his intention several times to hold a referendum over the problem of the administrative capital transfer just before his election campaign back in 2002, objections against the standpoint of Chong Wa Dae that regard a referendum as an unadvisable policy are spreading.

On June 17 at a conference of state affairs held at Chong Wa Dae, President Roh pointed out that “If the construction of the new administrative capital is delayed due to various reasons, the policy to develop the whole country in balanced gravity, and the strategy to cultivate the metropolitan area, by means of reorganization, into the economic core of Northeast Asia will face a deadlock altogether.” He added, “As the national strategy of 21st century, these three policies are closely related to the others.”

“Going through the discussions in political world, three special measure laws including the law for constructing the new administrative capital have been passed by an overwhelming majority,” said Roh, adding “Though there can be many words over the issue, comprehensive consent has already been made in a large scale.”

“During the procedure of establishing the three special measure laws in the end of the last year, there were the requests asking for reducing restrictions from companies such as Samsung Electronics, Ssangyong Motors, and LG Philips LCD Industrial Complex in Paju. As the local governing bodies in the metropolitan area agreed to their requests, special laws, based on it, could be passed.”

In advance, a spokesman of Chong Wa Dae, Yoon Tae-young, disclosed in the day’s press briefing that “the official standpoint of Chong Wa Dae is that whether or not the problem should be brought to referendum cannot be dealt daringly by the president because it was one of the impeachment reasons.” He added, “With the National Assembly having consented to establish these laws, we don’t need to talk about the problems that split public opinion and consume national strength.”

As for this, Jeon Yeo-ok, the spokeswoman of the largest opposing party, the Grand National Party, disclosed through a daily briefing that “President Roh should look back on what he said during the presidential election campaign and keep his promise to bring this problem to a referendum.” She urged him to hold a referendum, saying “If he doesn’t come through on what he promised by his very mouth, will the people believe his statements any longer no matter what he says?”

She refuted, saying, “though the assembly, in the last year, has passed the law bills on the premise of transferring the administrative capital, the situation has been changed in terms of moving the capital itself.”

In a press interview with Naeil Shinmun on October 11, 2002, the then presidential candidate Roh made a public commitment that “it can be brought to referendum if necessary,” and he also promised during his election campaign at Seomyun, Busan on December 9, 2002 that “I will decide on this problem by taking a referendum because it requires a prudent national consensus.”

In addition, he said in a television speech on December 14, 2002: “I will make a nation-wide consensus over this problem within a year from my winning the election, finalizing it through the way of holding a referendum.”

On the other hand, a former constitutional judge who wishes to remain under condition of anonymity said that “it is a jump of logic to regard the referendum for the administrative capital transfer as an infringement of the constitution because the confidence referendum is against the constitution,” adding, “As an important national policy, the transfer of capital could be the target of a referendum.”

Jung-Hun Kim Seung-Heon Lee jnghn@donga.com ddr@donga.com