[EDITORIAL] Its Own Worst Enemy

In the recent spate of party-switching by members of the National Assembly, the United Liberal Democrats seem to have come out looking the worst. Even after the unprecedented political farce of "borrowing" lawmakers from the ruling party, the ULD was unable to register as a negotiation body in the National Assembly because of objections by its own vice president, Kang Chang-hee. Having aroused much negative public opinion, the ULD will not be able to ask for any more Millennium Democrats and is left with no real gain and looking shabby. On Thursday, the ULD decided to expel Mr. Kang, but to achieve a renascence as a true party of the people, the ULD actually needs more right-minded members who behave according to their convictions, like Kang Chang-hee.

With only 17 seats left out of 50 after the April elections, the party has shown no signs of reflecting on its loss or of making an effort to recover. The ULD has sullied the political arena by threatening the weakened ruling party and by snooping around in the affairs of the Grand National Party.

The first incidence of railroading in the 16th Assembly and the party-switching comedy of errors were both the result of the ULD's covetousness. The party also likes to change its tune. At the time of the general election, the party president attacked the MDP, saying that his alliance with Kim Dae-jung was over, and then he accepted the office of prime minister immediately after the election. In the eyes of the public, the ULD looks like a shameless bunch who are out to snap up whatever positions might be available. As a negotiation body, the ULD would have been eligible for such benefits as more than 4 billion won in additional funds from the national treasury annually, 20 National Assembly employees and office space in the Assembly building. Is it worth giving up the dignity of the party and using trickery to get those few extras?

Gaining the needed quorum of 20 by borrowing members from another party makes the ULD a laughingstock and nothing but a puppet of the MDP, as Mr. Kang pointed out. The first step to becoming a negotiation body would be to show the public that the ULD is worthy of being one. By reasserting its identity as a conservative body, it could act as a balancing force in the Assembly even if it is not officially a negotiation body.