South Korean Politics and Elections

Lee Myung-bak Opens English Web Site

Korea Times, July 24, 2007

By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter

Presidential hopeful Lee Myung-bak of the Grand National Party (GNP) opened an English Web site Tuesday to help foreign correspondents and foreign readers who are interested in catching up with the Dec. 19 presidential election.

Launching an English site is the first of its kind among presidential contenders in Korea.

``In an era of globalization, we thought the frontrunner candidate needs an English Web site to help foreign readers,'' said a spokesperson of the former Seoul mayor.

The online site offers his campaign pledges, curriculum vitae and press release.

For more information, log on to english.mbplaza.net.

(SKPE Note: Click here for site.)

hkang@koreatimes.co.kr

GNP Hopefuls Clash Over N. Korea Policy

Korea Times, July 22, 2007

By Kim Sue-young
Staff Reporter

Four presidential aspirants of the main opposition Grand National Party clashed over North Korean policies during a television debate in Jeju Island, Saturday.

Former GNP Chairwoman Park Geun-hye criticized the party's softened stance on the Stalinist state, while the three others _ former Seoul Mayor Lee Myung-bak, Reps. Hong Joon-pyo and Won Hee-ryong _ attacked her conservativeness.

``I hoped it was not true that the GNP presented an engagement policy toward the North. It seemed that the party gave up the principle of reciprocity,'' Park said. ``Policies on North Korea should be premised on complete nuclear disarmament.''

The conservative GNP unveiled a new policy line July 4 to encourage inter-Korean economic cooperation, free visits to the two Koreas and nuclear disarmament of the Korean Peninsula.

Hong criticized her remarks, saying ``The nuclear issue still remains unsolved for 20 years, despite the government's peaceful efforts. We cannot untie the nuclear-related problems with her premise, even 30 years later.''

Won claimed her view on the nuclear issue does not meet the demand of the times.

The contenders also discussed labor and welfare issues, but merely ended up presenting their own campaign pledges.

Leading hopeful Lee insisted that the government's law to protect non-regular workers led to a mass dismissal like that of retail giant Eland Group.

``To solve the problem, the government should ensure companies more flexibility in employment,'' said Lee, former CEO of Hyundai Engineering and Construction. ``And it should also work out measures to improve a differential wage rate system between regular and non-regular workers.''

Park suggested offering incentives to firms, which gives temps regular status.

Both Won and Hong urged lawmakers to revise the law which allows companies to fire irregular workers easily.

Political watcher, however, claimed the GNP's first TV debate was good for nothing.

They said major suspicions surrounding Lee and Park did not appear during the debate.

Rumors have it that Lee bought land in Dogok-dong, in southern Seoul, with the name of his brother_in_law, and Park's camp illegally made access to a residential registration of her rival Lee.

ksy@koreatimes.co.kr

`Mr. Outspoken' to Join Presidential Race

Korea Times, July 22, 2007

By Kim Sue-young
Staff Reporter

Rep. Chough Soon-hyung of the Centrist United Democratic Party (CUDP) hinted at his presidential bid Sunday at the party's headquarters in Seoul.

His challenge will likely affect the Dec. 19 presidential election due to his critical stance toward President Roh Moo-hyun and the main opposition Grand National Party (GNP), party sources said.

Chough, 72, will unveil his detailed campaign pledges next week, his aides said.

Party officials speculated that Chough will gain more than five percent of approval ratings once he officially opens his presidential bid because people who are against Roh and the GNP will support him.

Chough unsuccessfully ran for the general elections in 2004 after he led the impeachment of Roh but won the by-election on July 26, 2006.

Despite criticism of the impeachment, the six-term lawmaker has expressed his belief, saying, ``I will not hesitate to make a decision even though the same situation occurs.''

Chough is called ``Mr. Outspoken'' and ``Mr. Clean'' because he has been involved with few scandals unlike the GNP's leading presidential hopefuls, former Seoul Mayor Lee Myung-bak and former GNP Chairwoman Park Geun-hye.

As he joins the CUDP's primary race, the party is able to pick its own presidential candidate without merging with the pro-government Uri Party, party sources said.

The party has discussed ways to create a new party with the Uri Party in the run-up to the presidential race but failed to narrow the gap.

Like the embattled Uri Party, the party has yet to provide strong presidential hopefuls even though Reps. Rhee In-je and Shin Kook-hwan, and former lawmaker Choo Mi-ae of the Democratic Party, predecessor of the CUDP, announced their presidential bid.

Chough started his political career in 1981 when he was elected to the National Assembly.

ksy@koreatimes.co.kr

Roh Calls for Release of Korean Abductees in Afghanistan

Korea Times, July 21, 2007

President Roh Moo-hyun on Saturday called for the release of Koreans who were abducted by Taliban militants on Thursday in Afghanistan as the insurgents threathened to kill them unless Korea withdraws its troops stationed in the country.

"Under any circumstances, precious lives must not be lost,'' Roh said in a televised statement. ``The Korean government is prepared to make its utmost effort with the relevant parties in order to secure the speedy release of the Korean citizens.''

Roh said that taking innocent civilians hostage cannot be justified for any reason.

The Korean abductees, mostly medical doctors and nurses, went to Afghanistan to offer medical services, Roh stressed.

Roh also had a phone call with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, asking him to help the release of the Korean abductees in his country.

GNP Hearing Takes Heat Over Suspicions

Korea Times, July 19, 2007

By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter

The hearing of the Grand National Party (GNP) Thursday was intense as the panels sought sharp and embarrassing questions over allegations surrounding presidential hopefuls Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye.

The unprecedented in-house scrutiny took place amid skepticism running high over the effectiveness of the internal screening.

Fifteen panels focused their questions on the contenders' property trading, tax records and their relationship with people involved in the allegations.

Some panels doggedly requested contenders give appropriate answers to their questions.

Early predictions said that the one-day scrutiny would end with wishy-washy conclusions by providing the contenders with an opportunity to defend their positions.

Skepticism came even from the internal screening body responsible for the hearing.

Ahn Kang-min, chief of the internal watchdog, told reporters that he was frustrated for several reasons.

``The in-house body has no teeth and was not empowered to have the contenders cooperate with our activities. Two contenders were not supportive and failed to fulfill their earlier commitments,'' said Ahn, a former senior prosecutor.

He said two contenders continued to conduct mutually destructive negative campaigns, which ultimately forced the prosecution to investigate the allegations.

As a consequence, the internal committee grew increasingly callous as the prosecution took hold of the investigation.

Amid pervasive skepticism, a political scientist presented a more optimistic view, saying that this kind of effort will pay off in the long run.

Prof. Hahm Sung-deuk of Korea University told The Korea Times that the internal scrutiny is a very good start for party politics. So far the country has no other system to screen candidates running for the presidency.

``Holding a hearing to screen presidential contenders will definitely help bring transparency to the political arena in the future,'' he said.