[Editorial] Election Watchdog’s Lukewarm Stance

The Grand National Party on Tuesday filed another complaint with the election watchdog against President Roh Moo-hyun for alleged violation of the Election Law in his remarks at Wonkwang University and at the 20th anniversary ceremony of the June pro-democracy movement. President Roh claimed the clause on government officials’ political neutrality is unconstitutional, but he is wrong said Justice Minister Kim Sung-ho during a question-and-answer session in the National Assembly. Still, the National Election Commission has taken a lukewarm stance.

With regard to President Roh’s remarks at the Government Appraisal Forum, the Commission concluded on June 7 that Roh violated the Election Law. According to the second clause of Article 14 of the Election Law, the election watchdog can file an investigation request or a complaint with the police or the prosecution if the offender repeatedly ignores the commission’s ruling. In short, the NEC can file a complaint with the prosecution against President Roh who has ignored the commission’s warning. However, even though President Roh even made remarks that deny the Election Law itself, the NEC does not even have a plan to open a plenary session, according to sources.

The ambiguous regulations regarding a president’s neutrality in elections are unconditional and Korea’s election system is a hypocritical system unprecedented in the world, President Roh said on June 8 in his speech at Wonkwang University. “The Constitution stipulating the single five-year term presidency and the Election Law on the political neutrality (of public employees) must be revised. The existing election system indicates that Korea is not an advanced nation, and I’m embarrassed of it,” President Roh said at the pro-democracy movement ceremony. His remarks make us hard to believe that he claims himself the protector of the Constitution. Roh’s attitude towards the law is simply dishonorable and masochistic.

It doesn’t appear that President Roh will stop denouncing presidential hopefuls or political parties ahead of the elections. “There is no regulation that states that a president is not allowed to make political or policy-related remarks,” said a spokesperson of Cheong Wa Dae. It arouses suspicion that President Roh keeps making provocative remarks because of a political intention.

“It is absolutely necessary that powerful institutions voluntarily respect the decisions of the NEC,” said Presiding justice Choo Sun-hoi during an interview with Dong-A Ilbo.

So will the NEC, which has displayed reluctance to address the problem, be able to strictly supervise the upcoming presidential elections, which is now only six months away? If the commission, which is led by Chairman Goh Hyeon-cheol, continues to kneel to those who have power, it will not be able to fairly oversee the presidential election.