[EDITORIALS]Good intentions not enough

The Roh administration, which entered into the latter half of its term, is in a crisis.
The Korea National Railroad’s botched Russian oil field investment, the Korea Highway Corporation’s questionable development project on Haengdam island, and the so-called S project are causing the public to doubt the administration’s capacity to manage state affairs.
All these events took place because the administration ignored the law and procedures and acted according to the will of some powerful figures, including the president. If a president’s administration does not function according to legitimate procedures and the rule of law, then it can become a tool of powerful individuals.
What is needed the most now is the administration’s self-examination and willingness to create measures to fix itself. But Kim Woo-sik, the Blue House chief of staff, said, “We do have many regrets and get angry when we are wrongfully accused. But we can overcome any difficulties if we believe we have a clean conscience and honesty.”
Mr. Kim, in particular, compared the Blue House to a glass fish bowl and said, “State affairs are managed only according to principles, rationality, balance and efficiency.”
We believe the Blue House still has not fully realized what its problems are. And Mr. Kim’s comment shows that the administration is gravely ill.
“Pure intentions” alone can’t be used to judge whether an administration manages state affairs successfully or not.
First of all, it is difficult to judge whether the intentions are truly pure or not. And even if they were, the public would suffer if the results of the administration’s management are not good.
We have procedures and laws that the government and its people should obey. The current problems of the Roh administration resulted from the fact that its officials strayed from proper procedures.
It’s not President Roh Moo-hyun’s enemies who are complaining; criticism of the administration’s way of managing state affairs can be heard from the governing Uri Party’s workshop as well.
What is urgent now is to develop a system, not to depend on a few individuals to lead the administration. Mr. Kim should think about how to change the system rather than venting his grudges.