[EDITORIALS]The case against Mr. Roh

President Roh Moo-hyun said yesterday that he would accept the results of Wednesday’s elections as “the people’s will.” Looking closely at his remarks, though, one wonders if Mr. Roh knows what the people’s will actually is. He said his administration would continue on the same policy course with the same priorities.
He also said Koreans need wisdom and the proper attitude to endure short-term problems for a long-term goal. This suggests that nothing has changed because of the election. To accept the “people’s will,” one should be sorry for bad policies or mistakes and reflect the people’s opinions in designing new ones.
The Uri Party has come up with shallow tactics like the reform of politics or amendment of the constitution because it has failed to understand the people’s will.
The biggest offense of President Roh is that he provoked divisions among citizens. He has constantly harassed the people, made them enemies and put them in a “people’s court.”
He has damaged the legitimacy of our nation and people. He has created discord with allied countries, but when it came to inter-Korean issues, he has done as Pyongyang wished. He has aroused baseless negative feelings against entrepreneurs. The growth engine for the economy has stopped, and jobs have decreased in number. He raised taxes to stabilize housing prices in affluent areas, but only the working class suffered from the measures. Public education has collapsed for the sake of an egalitarian policy and the money people spend on supplemental private education has risen to a record high.
Saying that he will continue down this road means he intends to confront “the people’s will” head on.
Through their votes, the people demanded that the governing party change measures that have driven them into agony and fear. The governing party should work hard to improve the people’s livelihood, abandoning the idealistic theories they championed.
The government needs to make an economic environment in which companies can invest so jobs can be created. From a long-term perspective, a free trade agreement with the United States and pension reform are the only things that need to be done.
The president needs to look at the Grand National Party as a partner. The GNP also has the responsibility to cooperate with the administration if it intends to improve the people’s welfare.