New Uri Chair Calls GNP ‘Public Enemy’

With only 100 days left to the May 31 local elections, political parties are waging an agenda-setting war to win the hearts of voters. Considering most of the heads of local governments belong to the Grand National Party (GNP), the ruling Uri Party made it clear that it would put “judgment on local governments” and “shift of local powers” at the top of its local election agenda.

“For the last 10 years, the GNP has dominated 85 percent of local governments. As a result, they have suffered greatly from rampant corruption and irregularities,” said Chung Dong-young, the new chairman of the ruling party in his acceptance speech right after winning the Uri Party chairmanship on February 18.

In his visit to Daegu, GNP Chairwoman Park Geun-hye’s electoral district, the next day, he repeatedly called for judgment of local governments when he said, “GNP-dominated local governments have been the main culprits in squandering taxpayers’ money. The GNP is the ‘public enemy’ of local residents.”

He also called for a National Assembly investigation into local governments that were cautioned or singled out during the inspection by the Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) on February 9. The Uri Party has already submitted a request for an investigation to the National Assembly. By emphasizing that 12 out of 19 local governors who received “cautions” during the BAI inspection were GNP members, the party intends to drive home to the public the necessity of replacing local politicians.

Controversy is also mounting over possible “political intentions” in the Ministry of Government Administration and Home Affairs’ (MOGAHA) plan to inspect the Seoul Metropolitan Government. Some governing party members suggest the Cheonggyecheon restoration project, which is the work of Seoul Mayor Lee Myung-bak, should also be included in the inspection.

It seems that the party is seeking to clarify its battle line against the GNP in an effort to relieve internal conflicts that rose to the surface during the party convention. The GNP dismissed the ruling party’s move by saying, “The BAI is playing the drums and the Uri Party is singing in tune with each other.”

GNP Chairwoman Park reportedly believes the governing party’s “local government judgment” rhetoric is “absurd and groundless.” After attending a memorial ceremony for the third anniversary of the Daegu subway fire, Park visited the birthplace of his father, former President Park Jung-hee, in Sangmo-dong, Gumi-si, North Gyeongsang Province. Park’s chief of staff, Yoo Jeong-bok, said that in a meeting with local residents, she emphasized, “The GNP is committed to protecting democracy, the market economy, and the rule of law, all of which are the foundation of the nation.”

Yoo added, “[The ruling party] is exaggerating the results of the BAI’s inspection in an attempt to improve its low approval ratings. The public will never be deceived.”

As a countermeasure, the GNP plans to suggest “judgment on the Roh Moo-hyun administration.”

Asking back, “Does this incompetent, self-righteous, and amateurish government want to dominate provincial politics as well?” Chairman Kim Jae-won of the GNP’s Planning Committee said the party would use the forthcoming local elections as an opportunity for an evaluation of the current administration’s failures in state affairs management, such as “Yoon Sang-rim Gate” and other corruption scandals, as well as the economic crisis.

Candidates at the GNP’s party convention for the Seoul mayoral election strongly criticized Uri Party Chairman Chung’s plan to judge local governments as well.

Rep. Hong Jun-pyo said in a press conference, “The move is a tactic to gloss over the central government’s mismanagement of national affairs; it is like putting the cart before the horse.” Former lawmaker Maeng Hyung-gyu, said the party should launch a campaign against the governing party’s attempt to take Seoul.

Yong-Gwan Jung Dong-Yong Min yongari@donga.com mindy@donga.com