[Editorial] “Focusing on People’s Livelihood” Should Not Be an Empty Promise Again

Voices saying, “Reviving the economy is more important than issues regarding examining the past,” are being heard inside the ruling power base. Kim Hyuk-kyu, an Uri Party standing committee member, pointed out in its party meeting that “we are working hard to correct our history, but public opinion says the priority in government affairs is wrong.” In a breakfast meeting of 386-generation lawmakers with Deputy Premier and Finance and Economy Minister Lee Hun-Jae, it was agreed that “it is necessary to focus their efforts on overcoming sluggish domestic consumption (to revive the economy).” Nonetheless, the ruling power appears to the eyes of the majority of people to be still attached only to issues of the past, leaving the issue of the economy in the back.

Kim Woo-shik, chief presidential secretary, said in a press meeting that he has been informing the president that “what he hears the most from people is ‘please provide solutions to basic needs for living’.” Therefore, it seems that Cheong Wa Dae, political parties, and the government are all unanimously working hard to revive the economy, and this should lighten people’s worries and encourage consumer consumptions and investments. However, the situation has not improved one bit.

The problem lies in trust. We have heard them saying the economy is important all the time. President Roh Moo-hyun said in his first press conference this year, “The best welfare is the creation of workplaces.” Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan also said early this month that “revitalizing the economy and boosting domestic consumption are the most important tasks for the government.” Yet, what has been changed?

President Roh assigned most of his August 15 congratulatory address to the issues of examining the past. Since he urged government organizations to confess voluntarily their wrongdoings in the past, government offices are having headaches over how to do their “sacrament of penance.” The new chairman of the ruling party defined the opposition party as the “attacking power” and downgraded disputes over the issues of past wrongdoings to a political fight. All they talk about is the economy and the people’s livelihood. Still, who would trust them?

We should boldly get out of the issues of past affairs. Since the past issues are decided by both the ruling and the opposite parties to be managed by an independent organization, they should pass these issues to experts and show by their actions that they are focusing on the economy. It will be hard to handle the people’s disappointment and rage if their “focus on the people’s livelihood” is proven to be just another empty promise.