&#91EDITORIALS&#93MDP’s harsh rhetoric hurts

Nowadays, the Millennium Democratic Party appears broken into pieces. Far from being united under the leadership, its members are busy swearing, slandering and intriguing against each other. Party leaders have used abusive language against President Roh Moo-hyun for a long time. It is hard to find a sense of responsibility as a ruling party among the members. It seems they have forgotten to be fearful of the voters.
We have never heard of a party in power less than six months turning out this bad. Mr. Roh has provided part of the reason. As the new mainstreamers, in cooperation with the Blue House, promoted the formation of a new party, those whose political life is threatened have struggled against it. They also were dissatisfied with the Blue House’s failure to hold regular policy consultations with the party. Nevertheless, the use of unrestrained words is not persuasive at all.
Take, for example, party Secretary-General Chung Kyun-hwan. In connection with the selection of Wido as the site for a nuclear waste facility, Mr. Chung carped that “the present government is immoral,” adding that “it is a fraud that the cabinet canceled the earlier decision to pay cash compensation to Wido residents.” Let us presume that Mr. Chung was displeased because Mr. Roh made a telephone call to the head of Buan to encourage him. Nevertheless, as the secretary-general of the ruling party, he must not use abusive words to the president repeatedly.
Ruling party lawmaker Choo Mi-ae said, “Crushing Buan residents with government power is returning to the era of authoritarian government of the past.” She also claimed that the party should send recommendations to dismiss the ministers of commerce and industry, and government administration, to the president. The position of the ruling and the opposition parties has shifted.
Since the inauguration of the new government, the party has been engaged in internal struggles. Now, its leaders use abusive words to the president, who is elected on the party’s nomination. It is a pity but who would believe their words of “integrated new party,” or “remodeling.”