[EDITORIALS]Get busy and fix things

Koreans are now witnessing quite shocking numbers. The president’s job approval rating plunged below the 10-percent mark for the first time in history (9.9 percent), according to a survey by Naeil Newspaper. And the job approval rating for the ruling Uri Party dwindled to a single digit (8.8 percent) for the first time, according to another survey by Media Daum and Joins.com.
The ruling party, that secured more than half of the seats in the National Assembly, is now seeing its job approval ratings fall near the same level as small opposition parties, such as the Democratic Party (8.5 percent) and the Democratic Labor Party (8.4 percent). Certainly the job approval ratings need more confirmation through repeated surveys. President Roh and the ruling Uri party may say that the approval ratings will be better if surveyed again. But the figures of 9.9 and 8.8 will not easily disappear from people’s minds.
They mean fewer than one in 10 Koreans supports the president and the ruling party.
It is a painful picture that shows how the current administration has become estranged from ordinary people. It certainly is not the picture of a normal country.
Korea is the world’s 12th-largest economy, whose exports exceed $300 billion, with computer chips, ships and televisions made in Korea sweeping the global market. Also, young Koreans are excelling on the world’s sports stage in golf and other events.
Meanwhile, the president and the ruling party must deal with a painfully low support rate.
Now, we can’t afford to lament at this moment. The president, who previously insisted on doing everything his own way, now says he is willing to cooperate with the opposition party. The ruling Uri Party does not seem to have any energy to push through a single new proposal. Demonstrators who look down on the administration and the ruling party tried to destroy government buildings. Meanwhile, North Korea wants to talk only with the United States.
The ruling party should be in emergency mode. What should it do?
Drop the meritless political mud-slinging and arguments, and follow people’s wishes.
Fix the problems created in the real estate market, media laws, government PR campaigns and unprincipled human resource practices. And try to convince the opposition parties to join efforts to improve the economy. That will be the best way for atonement in this era of 9.9 and 8.8 job approval ratings.