Time to dismantle the UPP
Published: 01 Sep. 2013, 20:58
As the Korea JoongAng Daily reported, the Unified Progressive Party’s response to the National Intelligence Service’s investigations into its alleged attempt to overthrow the government rings loud alarm bells on our security front.
The left-wing splinter party’s lawmaker and leader, Lee Seok-ki, joined a rally in front of the nation’s top spy agency last weekend - sometimes wearing a mysterious smile and sometimes rigorously waving his hands - a painful reminder of the violent student demonstrations in the democratic movement days in the 1980s.
Lee must comply with the NIS and the prosecution’s probes into the suspicion - instead of resorting to his old-fashioned way of protesting the security authorities’ crackdown.
Lee has already vowed to reinforce his protest against the state power by mobilizing his party members and other “revolutionary organizations” in the country.
If he is really innocent of all the charges, he must clear them in questioning sessions with the NIS - as soon as the National Assembly approves a motion to arrest him on charges of plotting a rebellion against the state.
The main opposition Democratic Party, too, should help expedite the arrest process by voting for the motion before the UPP and other hard-core liberal forces launch rallies together.
In fact, the DP is accountable for the alarming development as it had collaborated with the splinter party in the last general elections to not field its candidates in several strategic constituencies in an effort to only beat the ruling Saenuri Party.
I am dumbfounded at the sad reality in which an official political party in this country - and its leader - were able to discuss in broad daylight detailed methods to subvert the government together with revolutionary moles in the country through armed struggles.
The Saenuri Party and the DP must deprive Lee of his status as legislator and cooperate to dismantle the leftist party in the country once and for all.
By Kang Hiok, A chemical engineering student at Konkuk University.
The left-wing splinter party’s lawmaker and leader, Lee Seok-ki, joined a rally in front of the nation’s top spy agency last weekend - sometimes wearing a mysterious smile and sometimes rigorously waving his hands - a painful reminder of the violent student demonstrations in the democratic movement days in the 1980s.
Lee must comply with the NIS and the prosecution’s probes into the suspicion - instead of resorting to his old-fashioned way of protesting the security authorities’ crackdown.
Lee has already vowed to reinforce his protest against the state power by mobilizing his party members and other “revolutionary organizations” in the country.
If he is really innocent of all the charges, he must clear them in questioning sessions with the NIS - as soon as the National Assembly approves a motion to arrest him on charges of plotting a rebellion against the state.
The main opposition Democratic Party, too, should help expedite the arrest process by voting for the motion before the UPP and other hard-core liberal forces launch rallies together.
In fact, the DP is accountable for the alarming development as it had collaborated with the splinter party in the last general elections to not field its candidates in several strategic constituencies in an effort to only beat the ruling Saenuri Party.
I am dumbfounded at the sad reality in which an official political party in this country - and its leader - were able to discuss in broad daylight detailed methods to subvert the government together with revolutionary moles in the country through armed struggles.
The Saenuri Party and the DP must deprive Lee of his status as legislator and cooperate to dismantle the leftist party in the country once and for all.
By Kang Hiok, A chemical engineering student at Konkuk University.
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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