Uri Party Lawmakers Abandoning Roh

This man was an active campaigner for candidate Roh Moo-hyun during the 2002 presidential election. At a dinner party held by Rep. Yum Dong-yun on May 7, 2004, just after the 17th general elections, in celebration of the election victories for pro-Roh first-term lawmakers, he pledged to help President Roh’s administration make sure to run a successful state administration. As of July 2004, he also worked as an active member of the Legislative Research Center, an organization established by 14 pro-Roh lawmakers, including Rep. Lee Kwang-jae.

However, on July 28, 2006, this man, only identified as a lawmaker, strongly expressed his discontent along with other 27 fellow lawmakers against President Roh, over the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Kim Byung-joon.

“Cheong Wa Dae must respect the opinion of the party,” he said.

As the change of his political attitude illustrates, it is no longer easy to find pro-Roh figures in the Uri Party. Although former pro-Roh lawmakers enjoyed strong political influence at the early days of the party establishment backed by President Roh, the situation has changed after the complete defeat in the May local elections.

In the meantime, an increasing number of politicians are publicly denouncing President Roh as if to withdraw their previous support toward President Roh.

The People’s Participation Union, once publicly known as a mighty pro-Roh supporters’ group with members of over 20 lawmakers, was once said to have a large enough power to have a legislative bargaining position in the Assembly. However, all the incumbent lawmakers, except Rep. Jung Chung-rae, have left the union.

In addition, the Solidarity for Practice of Participatory Politics, another pro-Roh group, is having a comprehensive review over the issues, including whether to disband the organization.

As the history itself repeats, collapse of pro-presidential organizations might be a natural thing to occur near the end of the president’s term. Political groups, which once supported former presidents Kim Dae-jung and Kim Young-sam, also all went to pieces after the retirements of each president.

However, those figures who were active in supporting the two presidents are not shy to speak out their backgrounds and their royalty towards the former presidents whereas pro-Roh politicians are parting from President Roh, even though President Roh’s term has one and a half years left.

That’s why the collapse and self-denial of pro-Roh figures are more conspicuous these days.

jin0619@donga.com