Presidential whitewash

Former President Kim Dae-jung complained about the Roh Moo-hyun administration during his visit with Uri Party leaders to bid farewell before the party merges with the United New Democratic Party.
At the meeting, Kim spoke of the investigation into the payment for the inter-Korean summit, saying, “The Roh administration should apologize for damaging the national reputation for political reasons.”
Regarding the investigation of the National Intelligence Service’s illegal wiretapping, Kim said, “The administration arrested two former spy agency chiefs with no solid evidence.”
Kim also said the ruling circle fell out of favor with the people when lawmakers left the Democratic Party, which sponsored Roh in the presidential election.
This is absolute nonsense. To hold the inter-Korean summit, Kim handed over $500 million to the North in violation of the nation’s laws. Later, Kim justified it as an act of “presidential prerogative.”
Even if it was, he should have told the National Assembly and the public about his action beforehand. How can he be confident that the North did not make its nuclear bombs and missiles with the money?
His attitude remains the same for the National Intelligence Service’s wiretapping scandal. Just because he used to be a victim of wiretapping does not justify the spy agency’s illegal activities under his rule. Yet, Kim spoke in defense of two former intelligence chiefs, Lim Dong-won and Shin Kuhn, and his Blue House chief of staff, Park Jie-won.
The Roh administration and pro-government politicians lost the public’s support not because lawmakers defected from the Democratic Party to create the Uri Party.
The Uri Party, shortly after its separation, won an absolute majority in the National Assembly in the April 2004 legislative election.
The victory was largely the aftermath of the presidential impeachment because supporters were united.
But it is also true that voters agreed to the Uri Party’s principles of reforming politics, ending regionalism and building a nationwide political party.
The party, however, failed to meet people’s expectations, and the administration failed to govern. That is why the people dislike the administration and pro-government politicians.
Does Kim want to whitewash his past wrongdoings because his influence has grown in the political arena? We advise him to maintain his dignity as a former president.