Politics of vengeance

Sohn Hak-kyu, executive adviser to the main opposition Democratic United Party, said while visiting Korea`s fourth-largest city of Daegu, “In Korea`s parties, the politics of vengeance should be removed. A party shouldn`t seek to regain power due to a strong desire to exact revenge.” He made the comments when asked by an audience member if he has a strong desire for revenge like Democratic United Party Chairwoman Han Myeong-sook. Sohn apparently gave his answer to indirectly criticize the pro-Roh Moo-hyun faction that has Han as a member. The faction has emerged as new mainstream group in the party.

Serving as prime minister under the Roh administration, Han has said, “I will devote everything to hold the Lee Myung-bak administration accountable (for its mistakes).” Moon Sung-keun, a supreme council member of the party and key figure of the faction, also renewed his commitment, saying “We will repay (with vengeance) as much as we have suffered under the Lee administration.” The faction has the perception that Roh committed suicide due to a politically motivated investigation by prosecutors who were allegedly guided by the incumbent administration.

On the slush funds allegedly provided to Roh by a business executive, Roh said, “The money was funded and used at the request of my homemaker (wife Kwon Young-sook).” In a news interview in June 2009, former Roh confidante Moon Jae-in, now chairman of the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation, said, “After learning that Kwon took the money to buy a home (for their children), President Roh was shocked.” These comments suggest that both Roh and Moon effectively admitted to the existence of dirty money paid to Kwon.

The Democratic United Party is entangled in controversy over “code-based" candidate nominations for the April 11 general elections as the pro-Roh faction has spearheaded and dominated the nominations. Half of the 40 candidates who have been nominated in the Gyeongsang provinces are affiliated with the faction. Though candidates from different factions both have advanced ages and is multi-term lawmakers, those from the now-defunct Uri Party were given preference over those hailing from the Democratic Party, one of the predecessors of the main opposition party. Bolting from the Democratic United Party recently, Han Kwang-ok, who served as presidential chief of staff under the Kim Dae-jung administration, said, “The nominations of the Democratic United Party are a feast for pro-Roh faction members. Politics meant to exact vengeance should be unacceptable.” This is a warning that the dominance of the pro-Roh faction is considered an act of arrogance.

Soon after its convention held on Jan. 15, the Democratic United Party saw its approval rating exceed that of the ruling Saenuri Party, but the former has been overtaken by the latter according to recent opinion polls. While voters criticize the incumbent government’s failures in state administration, they are also closely examining the capacity and qualifications of the main opposition party. Voters will not vote for Democratic United Party candidates just because of its pledge to punish the Lee administration while avoiding self-reform. What is nearly absent is any hint of humble atonement by the pro-Roh faction, which admitted to being liable for the administrative failure of the Roh government and suffered a crushing defeat of 5.3 million votes in the 2007 presidential election. If the opposition party wins in both the general and presidential elections, the direction of administration could likely move on an undesirable path. A party merely interested in getting vengeance will inevitably fuel doubts over whether it can take power.