Uri Will Establish “Truth and Reconciliation, Future Committee” Within Party

“Arranging the past is not for division into parties or punishment, but for reconciliation and our future.”

Chairman Shin Gi-nam of the Uri Party revealed on August 1 that the tentatively named “Truth and Reconciliation, Future Committee” would be organized within the party for inclusive fact finding and clearing operations of past that were suggested by President Roh Moo-hyun.

Shin also said at a press conference at the headquarters of the party in Yeongdungpo, “We should regulate and clear our gloomy properties of Japanese imperialism, the chilling cold war era, and military dictatorship to go forward in the era of information, knowledge, and reformation in the 21st century.”

The “Truth and Reconciliation, Future Committee,” suggested by Shin, borrows the name of the “Truth and Reconciliation Commission” that was established by President Nelson Mandela in the Republic of South Africa for fact-finding into the policies of racism.

Minister Kim Geun-tae in the Ministry of Unification once presented this principle of thorough examination for facts and extensive reconciliation for moral responsibilities as a comprehensive solution while investigating illicit funds during last year’s presidential election.

Shin urged the participation of the Grand National Part by saying, “We want to discuss this with GNP. Let’s organize the committee within the party and then in the National Assembly.”

This idea is known to be suggested by The Uri Party’s chief planning officer, Min Byung-doo, in order to defend against the attacks of the GNP, which is saying, “The ruling party is concentrating on matters of the past, while we have plenty of things to do for the future,” and to support President Roh at the same time.

In a word, the Uri Party is trying to get back its justification and initiative in the offense and defense about the past in political history and the identity of the nation.

The GNP immediately asked the intentions behind Shin’s suggestion. It explained the hidden intention that the Uri Party is eventually trying to tie up Representative Park Geun-hye with this organization embellished with the name of “Truth, Reconciliation, and the Future.”

GNP Spokesman Yim Tae-hee asserted at a meeting of reporters that “examining the past is not a duty of political authorities and the National Assembly. Shin should work on the six special committees of the National Assembly on issues such as employment and regulation reform that both the government and the opposite party agreed to organize.”

GNP deputy-spokesman Lee Jung-hyun also criticized the comments by saying, “The reason why the president is concentrating on the past is that he lacks assurance on the matters of the present. He wants to escape from this present fix by artificially composing political chaos.”

Meanwhile, Representative Park expressed her thoughts about the offensive movement of the ruling party concerning the military dictatorship by posting an article on her homepage on July 31, saying, “I’m overcoming hard days like the hot weather nowadays. Few live without difficulties. It is meaningful when we overcome our own difficulties, no matter how difficult they are.”

Yeon-Wook Jung Yong-Gwan Jung jyw11@donga.com yongari@donga.com