The Strangest Dance
After days of firm denials that she would suffer the idea of a coalition with President Roh, opposition Grand National Party leader Park Geun-Hye has agreed to meet with Roh. Let’s hope she jams a rubber wedge into his mouth and feeds him his Paxil:
President Roh Moo-hyun said Tuesday he thought about “ending the Roh era and starting a new era,” even if he had to retreat from the front line or end his term early.
. . . .Citing German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, who has called early elections, Roh said, “It doesn’t accord with the logic of democracy that a president must complete his term regardless of whether he has the confidence of the people just because he was elected once. He said, “I didn’t just pitch a coalition proposal to the Grand National Party not knowing that I would take a hit in the Jeolla provinces.” “It’s not proper politics if [a party] completely wins and completely loses in certain regions,” he said.
One parliamentarian who attended the dinner said, “He tossed out some very shocking subjects, and all the lawmakers in attendance grew silent.”
In the Chosun Ilbo’s odd vernacular, this is known as shilly shallying. In mine, the man is a ledge case. More:
Referring to his low approval rating, President Roh Moo-hyun called himself a “president worth 29 percent” during his two-hour appearance on KBS-TV last night to review the first half of his term, discussing what he perceived as his administration’s achievements and faults.
During his speech, Mr. Roh said, “I can consider yielding all of my power if needed.” He also referred to his own administration as a “weak body,” stressing the need for a coalition government, which has been rejected by the opposition parties.
However, with little support for his administration and his oft-criticized policies, Mr. Roh suggested the need for the major opposition party’s support. “With the 30 percent approval rating given to the Grand National Party, I have no choice but to admit it as a partner, not as a target to be overcome,” he said.
Listen to Coldplay much?
I was no real fan of past efforts to impeach Roh over what appeared to be a petty, politically motivated charge, but you have to question the mental stability of someone who lapses into this state of mind every time he suffers a setback. Perhaps the best thing would be for him to simply resign and let Goh Kun serve out the remainder of his term. The Korean people overwhelmingly disagree with me on this, and it’s their decision who will lead them. Still, Goh Kun has done well in the straw polls, and the numbers might shift if he was the clear alternative. Unlike a coalition with Park, that has the advantage of being constitutional.
Yet some in the GNP are eager enough to take power, that they’d even take it this way:
The GNP says it wants the meeting to focus on the economy but also address other matters like Roh’s offer of a coalition government. The opposition party feels the meeting should take place no later than the Chuseok or Korean Thanksgiving holiday on Sept. 17-19, so it is likely to happen before Roh’s next foreign trip scheduled for Sept. 8. Roh’s request of a one-on-one meeting with Park comes after the president told political editors on Aug. 18 he would invite the GNP “to take part in political negotiations.
But the GNP chairwoman’s acceptance has not so far, brought a change in the party’s position that a grand coalition government is not feasible.
I could read this either way, I suppose, because a loyal opposition does have a role to play in government, and one role might be to meet with Roh and talk about issues where the Uri Party could moderate its stands and reach issues of agreement. Convincing a government that’s in ideological chaos to pull back from the brink is statesmanlike. On the other hand, it isn’t statesmanlike to give corrupt politicians a holiday from the consequences of their deeds. If this report is correct, there are more scandals for Uri in the pipline.
The GNP has problems of its own, too, including the ever-present threat of a revolt against Park Geun-Hye:
The bad blood between Ms. Park and other members spilled into other issues. Kwon Chul-hyun, a lawmaker in a faction opposed to Ms. Park’s leadership, called for the party leadership to reform the party’s structure. Another lawmaker, Hong Moon-pyo, even called for the return of the former party leader, Lee Hoi-chang, who headed the party until 2002. The workshop ends today.