[Editorial] Korea’s Public Enemies

President Roh Moo-hyun pointed to real estate prices and private tutoring fees as the two major public enemies in society and stated he will “try his best to fully resolve the problem.” While we are on this topic, we should talk about who actually made these public enemies.

What would have happened if the current administration didn’t create 30-plus real estate policies? If the market was left to follow the principle of supply and demand and the government deregulated the many policies on real estate, would prices of 50-pyeong apartments in Gangnam area have skyrocketed billions of won in just a year?

The Roh administration created these price hikes in places in Korea with balanced national development, relocation of the national capital, and innovative cities. The snowballing reimbursement payments to citizens all come from taxes.

The government stated that real estate prices will be kept under control with “tax bombs,” but the lack of medium-sized apartment supply pushed up apartment prices in Gangnam and other locations. Meanwhile, real estate dealings and the construction industry have weakened, which has decreased jobs and incomes for ordinary citizens. This is all due to Roh’s real estate policies.

The government spent great amounts in taxes but failed to provide the high-quality education that is necessary in the globalization era, and that the students and parents want. However the government still insists on regulation-centered education and college exam systems, which is undermining the autonomy and competitiveness of schools. All this is leading to increasing numbers of younger students studying overseas and ignoring public education. The “Korean Teachers’ and Education Workers’ Union”-style public education is not helping children, so parents are relying on private tutoring, even if they can’t afford it.

Bipolarization and increasing poverty are also major factors for the failure of growth. Doesn’t that make housing prices, private tutoring fees, policies that increase poverty, and the people behind these policies Korea’s true public enemies?