Roh Defends Cheong Wa Dae Policies

At a luncheon meeting held yesterday with senior members of the ruling Uri Party including the party chairman Kim Geun-tae, President Roh Moo-hyun said, “People seem to criticize that the government doesn’t work hard to stimulate economy now. However, it is not truth. Once the ruling party creates policy guidelines, the government will support that direction without hesitation.”

According to Min Byung-doo, chief of the Uri Party’s public relations committee, President Roh said during the meeting, “I said that I won’t rely on expansionary economic policies which are artificially and unreasonably. The press, however, delivered my remarks to the public after omitting a word, ‘unreasonably.’ We also need a debate on the proper level of economic growth rate,” Roh added.

In regard to pro-business policies that the Uri Party pursues, including measures that ease the equity investment ceiling system, President Roh said, “To prevent such restrictions from dampening the enterprise’s spirit for investment, we have made many alternative channels available to them.” About relaxing restrictions in business for Seoul and its adjacent area, President Roh also said, “Whenever companies asked for relaxing the restrictions in this area, I responded to it by saying, ‘Your aggressive and creative plans for investment will make it possible’ several times.”

Meanwhile, according to a source who attended the meeting, President Roh addressed five challenges during the meeting that presidents of Korea have to overcome, which are a weak ruling party vs. strong opposition party; local antagonism; political attacks through the press; political aggression of the ruling party, and the political aggression of organizations in power.

tesomiom@donga.com