[EDITORIALS]Stop the Mud-Slinging

Although it has been a long time since our nation's politics lost its dignity, they haven't changed much. In fact, politicians are acting as vulgar today as they were long ago. This past week, political parties attacked each other's leaders, spitting out such harsh words as "President Kim Dae-jung's economic policies are like letting a butcher conduct a heart surgery," or "Grand National Party President Lee Hoi-chang is a narrow-mined, sick person with presidential disease." When the public started to criticize their emotional and irrational behaviors, the opposition and the ruling parties suddenly changed their attitudes and made pledges on Thursday that they would "think of the public first" and that they would "end the muddy political war."

However, those superficial promises do not relieve us. Violent verbal fights still continue on the issues related to President Kim's impeachment and the restoration of GNP President Lee's father's house. When the public criticized their politics as immature and dirty, they temporarily stop political fights, but soon continue them again aggressively. The actions of political parties that try to make good out of criticizing each other are now in a serious condition. If they see issues that are worth disputing, they consider to muddle in first and slander their rivals is beneficial.

Repeating this sad cycle, the Millenium Democratic Party does not have the proper image as a leading ruling party, nor does the Grand National Party have shown appropriate aspects as the first party of the National Assembly to the public. As a result, the popularity of the Millenium Democratic Party has dropped to the very bottom, and that of the Grand National Party has been remaining low. But most of all, the public is just sick and tired of the parties that are crazily grouping allies and enemies and arguing everything from self-centered angle. Most people have given up wishing that our politics could balance social conflicts.

The ruling and the opposition parties should take this time as an opportunity to fix their attitudes and understand each other. They desperately need an attitude of mutual understanding through which they can check arguments and standpoints of others. If the public criticizes their actions or policies, they should ask for understanding after considering the criticism calmly.