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Is Kim calling the shots?

Published: 14 Aug. 2007, 01:35

Former President Kim Dae-jung interferes in politics too much. He does more than give advice. He gives explicit orders on exactly what to do. All presidential hopefuls try to earn his favor or support and they are careful not to displease him. It seems that he has become the party chairman again. We will not question him about his promise that he would not enter politics again. But we are worried that he is in danger of bringing politics in our country backward while clinging to regionalism. Members of the entire ruling party circle follow Kim like a bunch of rats. It is doubtful whether there is a future for party politics in Korea.

Kim has two major concerns. He wants to protect his Sunshine Policy and prolong the left-wing administration.
While pursuing these goals, he downplays the danger of North Korea’s nuclear weapons. In a meeting with former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook, Kim said that it would be necessary for President Roh to talk about denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula, but the nuclear issue must not become a burden for a summit meeting. Kim maintains that the nuclear issue is basically for the six-party talks to handle. We Koreans, however, are directly threatened by North Korea’s nuclear weapons. We cannot abandon the issue as if it is someone else’s problem. If the leaders of the two Koreas meet and do not talk much about the nuclear issue, it will be like accepting North Korea’s possession of nuclear weapons.

South Koreans have a positive perspective about the summit meeting because they expect their government to take a leading role in resolving North Korea’s nuclear issue. The government ignores the people’s expectations because it wants to make the summit meeting a good political event before the presidential election. If we spend an enormous amount to simply put on a show without any tangible results, the meeting could hinder progress in the six-party talks.

Kim also said that it was an act of sacrifice that the Uri Party circle gave seats to figures from civic organizations. He demanded that the new party stand up against criticism that the new party is actually the Uri Party all over again. He pushed the Democratic Party to join the new party. The party was torn up and later sewed back together again.
It is like calling a heart a spade, with a little bit of retouching. There is no way to glorify this act.
We wonder why he is so desperate to act as a guardian, without any of a former president’s dignity.