South Korean Politics and Elections

Soaring Wheat Prices, Tuition Campaign Issues

Korea Times, March 5, 2008

By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter


Major political parties have been mapping out their core campaign strategies focusing on soaring wheat prices and college tuition fees to win the working class vote in the April 9 elections.

The parties' unusual interest in specific bread-and-butter matters is an outcome of their decade-long search for tactics that will help them win the hearts and minds of low-income voters.

A Dong A Ilbo newspaper survey last year found 55.2 percent of citizens answered they were either low-income citizens (47.9 percent) or people living below the poverty line (7.3 percent).

The same poll showed 42 percent of respondents considered themselves middle-income families.

To win the majority of seats in the elections, major parties need to target the people who, they claim, are in this socio-economic class.

The governing Grand National Party (GNP) and the main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) share the view that their target group of low-income families will be hit hard by rising tuition fees.

The cost of college tuition has gone up more than three times the average rate of inflation, and that for 50 universities located in and around Seoul was hiked by 7 percent this semester.

GNP Spokeswoman Na Kyung-won said party leaders asked the government to work on ways of expanding scholarships and low interest rate loans for college students from working class families.

Rep. Na said the party urged the government to produce effective, feasible ways to realize their plan in the near future.

UDP Spokesman Woo Sang-ho addressed the same concern.

Rep. Woo said: ``The UDP will form a task force team to produce policy responses to cope with the negative impact of rising tuition costs on the livelihood of working class citizens.''

He also said his party ``will also craft countermeasures against inflation.''

President Lee Myung-bak, apparently mindful of the governing GNP's efforts to secure the majority of seats in the elections, also expressed deep concern over the detrimental effects of inflation on lower-class citizens.

Lee addressed the inflation issue as a core public policy item in the first official meeting with Cheong Wa Dae staff.

``Wheat prices have risen by 22 percent on the global crops market. This is a serious problem as many people here consume flour as a core ingredient of their food,'' Lee said.

Flour is a major ingredient in ramyon, which is a widely popular food among working class people.

GNP lawmakers whose electoral districts are in rural areas joined forces to woo farmers to pave the way for their victory in the elections.

Rep. Kwon Oh-Eul told reporters that the GNP plans to help farmers who are expected to be the losers in a free trade agreement with the United States.

Kwon said his party will create an agriculture fund worth 10 trillion won to help farmers heavily in debt plus other supportive measures for those living in the countryside.

hkang@koreatimes.co.kr

Han Nominated Prime Minister

Korea Times, Janyuary 28, 2008

President-elect Lee Myung-bak announced Monday that he has nominated former foreign minister Han Seung-soo to be his first prime minister.

The 72-year-old Han, now serving as a special envoy on climate change for U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, is known for his wide-ranging diplomatic and political career, which includes stints as finance minister, commerce minister, ambassador to the U.S. and presidential chief of staff. The former three-term lawmaker was also elected president of the U.N. General Assembly in 2001.

"I asked Han to be my first prime minister in consideration of his global mindset and abundant experiences at home and abroad," Lee said in a news conference, standing beside Han.

"Taking advantage of his international experiences and human networks, Han will be able to help revitalize our economy and successfully carry out national tasks in trade and resource diplomacy. He is also the right person to promote national harmony and cooperation between the administration and the National Assembly," Lee said, naming a number of public posts held by Han.

Prime Minister-designate Han, who earned the title of "international gentleman" after serving long in high-profile diplomatic and government posts, said that he will devote his efforts to the welfare of the nation, as well as to Lee's commitment to resource diplomacy.

"Resources are indispensable to our economy. For instance, Chinese leaders Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao have traveled across the world for resource diplomacy. I'm ready to criss-cross the globe to engage in resource diplomacy. I'll also strive to publicize our nation's human resources abroad," said Han. "We can overcome the looming global economic crisis through further deregulation and stimulation of private investment."

Lee, who will be sworn in on Feb. 25, has unveiled a plan to downsize the organizations and personnel of the prime minister's office, saying his prime minister will be primarily responsible for resource diplomacy.

Han must undergo a parliamentary confirmation hearing before taking office as new prime minister.

According to sources at Lee's transition team, the president-elect on Tuesday will announce the appointment of Yu Woo-ik, a geography professor of Seoul National University, as his presidential chief of staff. Yu is known to be one of Lee's most trusted policy advisers.

Meanwhile, rival parties showed mixed reactions to Han's nomination.

Lee's Grand National Party (GNP) called Han the "most qualified" figure for the post of prime minister, whereas the United New Democratic Party (UNDP) and other liberal parties vowed to take issue with Han's history of working for Chun Doo-hwan's military government.

"Han will be the best man to perform Lee's key national and diplomatic tasks. His relationship with Chun's military government dates back 28 years and his capabilities have already been verified," said GNP spokeswoman Na Kyung-won. "Moreover, his physical age is no matter, as he has actively engaged in various social activities."

But UNDP spokesman Woo Sang-ho said his party was disappointed to see Lee nominate a "past-oriented" figure, like Han, as his first prime minister.

"Han's varied experience is impressive. But he is lacking in vision for a new age. Lee disappointed the nation," said Woo.

(Yonhap)

Political Groups React Differently to Court Ruling on Lee’s Probe

Korea Times, January 10, 2008

The office of President Roh Moo-hyun and rival political parties said Thursday that they will respect the Constitutional Court's ruling in favor of an independent investigation into allegations of financial misconduct by President-elect Lee Myung-bak.

The Constitutional Court earlier in the day ruled that a law on the appointment of a special counsel on the Lee case conforms to the Constitution, except for one of its clauses that allows unwarranted summons of Lee and his relatives.

However, President-elect Lee and his transition team didn't respond. "Lee was briefed on the Constitutional Court's ruling, but didn't show any special response. We will not issue any official comment," Lee's spokesperson Joo Ho-yooung said.

Lee Dong-kwan, spokesperson of the transition team, also said it is not appropriate for his team to make an official comment on the issue, indirectly referring to the president-elect's decision in December to accept a special investigation into his behavior.

Some members of the transition team said on condition of anonymity that the Constitutional Court's ruling could provide an opportunity for Lee to completely dispel all suspicions surrounding him.

"A ruling outlawing the independent probe itself could rather have made us feel uncompensated. A complete elimination of all suspicions through the coming independent investigation will reinforce Lee's administrative power, while undermining the position of the UNDP and other proponents of the bill in the April general elections," said an official close to Lee.

President Roh's spokesperson Cheon Ho-seon said in his daily briefing that the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae will respect the ruling by the Constitutional Court.

"Cheong Wa Dae wants the independent investigation to proceed smoothly to help dispel public suspicion (about Lee's alleged involvement in various financial misdeeds)," said Cheon.

Lee's Grand National Party (GNP) and the pro-government United New Democratic Party (UNDP), which legislated the bill with minor liberal parties, both committed to accept the Constitutional Court's ruling.

"The ruling is regrettable, but we'll respect it. We hope the coming independent probe will again confirm the truth," GNP spokesperson Na Kyung-won said.

UNDP spokesman Lee Nak-yon also said his party will abide by the top court's decision despite different views over the ruling outlawing the unwarranted summons of Lee and his relatives.

The ruling followed President Roh's appointment Monday of former high-court judge Chung Ho-young as the independent counsel for the Lee case. Under the law, which was passed by the National Assembly and the Cabinet last month, Chung is to investigate allegations of financial irregularities by Lee until shortly before Lee's inauguration on Feb. 25. The special counsel is set to begin his formal activities next Monday.

Tension Mounts in Power Transition

Korea Times, January 6, 2008

By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter

Outgoing President Roh Moo-hyun has stepped up his criticism of President-elect Lee Myung-bak's policies and his conservative platform.

In response, Lee's transition committee criticized Roh for ``still not having understood the people's judgment'' in the Dec. 19 election on the incumbent government's ``failed management of state affairs.'' Roh's five-year tenure ends on Feb. 25.

``We don't have to respond to every comment by Roh,'' transition committee spokesman Lee Dong-kwan told reporters. ``The outcome of the presidential election has already shown how the people evaluate his government's policies.''

Lee Myubg-bak of the conservative opposition Grand National Party (GNP) had a landslide victory over Chung Dong-young of the pro-government United New Democratic Party (UNDP), winning by some 5.3 million votes, the biggest margin of victory in the 20-year history of democratic elections in Korea.

The spokesman said Roh's argument on the team's ``high-handed'' attitude toward government officials was based on the wrong information and assessment of the current situation.

Roh expressed his disgruntlement Friday, arguing the transition team was focusing on disrupting policies initiated by his liberal government.

A day earlier, he strongly denounced Lee's campaign pledges to overhaul the education system and build a cross-country canal.

``The transition team is only focusing on breaking down the `Participatory Government's' policies,'' Roh said in a New Year's meeting with businessmen in downtown Seoul. ``The transition team seems to think differentiating policies from the current ones is good. But I think that's just a populism-oriented move.''

Roh warned that he would not cooperate on the transfer of state affairs unless the team stops ``rubbing salt into the wound,'' referring to Lee's request for Roh to refrain from appointing high-ranking government officials during his remaining tenure.

Earlier in the day, the President complained that Lee's team was chiding government officials who advocated policies different from those of the next government.

The harsh remarks ran counter to a pledge Roh made during his meeting with the President-elect at Cheong Wa Dae late last year.

In his New Year's message, Roh also said that the government would support the transition of state affairs in an active manner.

The transition team has announced a range of plans to revise current policies on education, the economy, real estate, North Korea and government organization, following briefings by ministries and agencies.

The committee unveiled plans to give more autonomy to universities in their selection of students in a bid to raise the education competitiveness after abolishing Roh's flagship ``three nos'' policy.

The current education policy aims to prevent universities from administering their own entrance exams, ranking high schools and accepting donations for admitting students.

Last year, the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development said in a report that the policy infringes upon a college's basic autonomous rights.

The transition team has also announced growth-focused economic policies to boost the country's falling foreign investment through deregulation and more corporate incentives, a U turn from Roh's policies centered on redistribution and tax hikes.

The team announced plans to disband the Government Information Agency, which spearheaded a new media policy to close most government pressrooms, and reduce the roles of the prime minister's office and unification ministry.

Rep. Shim Jae-chul, vice floor leader of the GNP, said Roh was too arrogant and ignorant to ``read the tsunami'' of the people's judgment, apparently referring to Roh's remarks Friday that the next government's education policy would result in an ``education tsunami.''

GNP spokeswoman Na Kyung-won said, ``It's shameful that the outgoing President is indulging in backbiting the new leader's campaign pledges and policies.''

gallantjung@koreatimes.co.kr

Parties Differ Over Civil Servants' Term

Korea Times, December 16, 2007

By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter

The pro-government and main opposition parties expressed opposing views regarding an agreement over the extension of retirement age of low-ranking government officials.

The agreement was made on Friday between the government and the Korean Government Employees' Union (KGEU).

The decision faced backlash among the public as the retirement age extension is seen as a measure to protect the vested interest of government officials, often called the "iron rice bowl."

The term of the iron rice bowl was coined to refer to the guaranteed lifetime employment of government employees, indicating self-serving government bureaucracy.

The United New Democratic Party (UNDP) and minor parties welcomed the agreement.

UNDP spokesman Choi Jae-sung said that the agreement is positive because there is a discrepancy in retirement age between high-ranking and low-ranking government officials and this was a policy problem.

Current retirement age of low-ranking government employees is 57, while that of high-ranking officials is 60.

``The extension of retirement age in the public sector will have an impact on the private sector, and this move is very positive because it will help secure jobs for workers in an era of aging society,'' Rep. Choi commented.

The Democratic Labor Party (DLP) said the party lawmakers will closely look at the details of the bill and approve it if the bill is handed over to the parliament.

The main opposition Grand National Party (GNP), however, said the retirement age issue should be discussed in the next government along with other related issues such as the government structure and the size of government employees.

``It was inappropriate for the outgoing government to agree with the labor union to extend the retirement age,'' party spokeswoman Na Kyung-won said.

Rep. Na said political consideration is behind the pro-government party's commitment as the presidential election is three days away.

Clarifying that it is his personal opinion, GNP chief policymaker Rep. Lee Han-koo said the extension of retirement age is inappropriate because the outgoing government was not supposed to make a commitment of that kind of issue entailing budget.

The government and the KGEU agreed on the extension of current retirement age but did not clarify the age ceiling.

The retirement age will be effective only after the National Assembly approved the relevant bill.

Political observers said the bill is not likely to be discussed during this year's assembly session as the lawmakers would feel pressed in making clear their stance on the bill before Wednesday's election.

hkang@koreatimes.co.kr

Lawmakers clash over BBK case

[SKPE note:  It looks like this will be the scandal that the UNDP will use to hammer Lee with ahead of the December 19 election.]

Stock manipulation case ratchets election politics up a notch

The Hankyoreh, October 16, 2007

Political debates heated up over the planned return of Kim Kyung-jun, a key figure in the BBK stock price manipulation case. The case, which also involves Lee Myung-bak, the presidential candidate of the Grand National Party, is creating another divisive rift along partisan lines, and could threaten to destabilize Lee’s bid in the election, slated for this December 19.

In 2001, Kim Kyung-jun, head of the bankrupt BBK investment firm, which was founded with Lee, was charged with embezzlement and manipulating stock prices and fled to the United States. Lee has denied any involvement in the misdeeds, though he has been accused of using his influence to bring potential investors to the firm.

Kim is expected to be extradited to Seoul from his current location in Los Angeles in November.

On October 15, Rep. Kim Hyo-seok, the floor leader of the pro-government United New Democratic Party, said that Lee had been telling inconsistent stories in advance of Kim’s return. The floor leader went on to say that Lee has alternately said that Kim must return home at an earlier date than originally planned. Meanwhile, Lee’s close aide has asked a court to suspend the ruling over Kim’s request to launch an appeal in his U.S. case, citing the need for more testimony for a civil lawsuit.

“Lee claimed that Kim’s return is the result of our political maneuvering. If it is political maneuvering, we should talk to Kim when he returns,” the UNDP floor leader said.

Rep. Lee Nak-yeon, a spokesman at the UNDP, said, “A lawsuit filed in the U.S. by Lee’s camp to return investment money from Kim was delayed for six months (because of a replacement of the defense counsel). Under the circumstances, can we say that Lee’s camp has no intention of blocking Kim’s return?”

In response, GNP spokeswoman Na Kyung-won said, “Kim has been detained in a U.S. jail for three years but has been reluctant to return to Korea. This is because he apparently predicted that he would be punished upon his return.”

In connection with the fact that Kim suddenly abandoned his appeal and has decided to come back to Korea, Na insisted that there may be an invisible hand influencing him.

“As Kim has requested that the court treat him as a witness during the ongoing civil trial in the U.S., the court questioned Kim’s lawyers and the procedure was concluded. Therefore, the GNP has asked the court to complete the procedure,” stressed Na.

As Lee has replaced his lawyers, the case on recovering the investment has been postponed to next June. Regarding this, Eun Jin-su, Lee’s lawyer, said, “We changed lawyers because DAS lost a lawsuit against Kim Kyung-jun, far earlier than Kim gave up an appeal.” DAS, a company owned by Lee Myung-bak’s elder brother and brother-in-law, is the BBK’s corporate partner. UNDP officials insist that real owner of DAS is Lee Myung-bak, citing evidence that shows Lee’s actual ownership.

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]

Chung Dong-young Gets United New Democratic Party Nomination

Dong-A Ilbo, October 16, 2007

The 65-day race for the 17th president of Korea began yesterday after Chung Dong-young, the former chairman of the Uri Party, was elected the United New Democratic Party’s (UNDP) presidential candidate.

In UNDP primary results released October 15, Chung won 216,984 (43.8%) of all physical, mobile phone, and poll votes, followed by Sohn Hak-gyu (168,799, 34%) and Lee Hae-chan (110,128, 22.2%).

Chung won with 130,996 party member physical votes compared to Sohn with 81,243 and Lee with 54,628. Chung also took the lead in opinion poll votes with 21,859 (44.06%), compared to Sohn with 17,525 (35.3%) and Lee with 10,216 (20.60%).

However, Chung was second in the mobile phone vote with 62,138, while Sohn won 70,031.

In his acceptance speech, Chung said, “We should move toward healing and integration. We can have a chance of winning only when we are united as one.” He added, “We should make every effort to create a new “Integrated government,” following the people’s and the current participatory governments.”

Previously, Rhee In-je was elected as the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party on October 14, and Mun Guk-hyeon, former CEO of Yuhan Kimberly, made it official in an inauguration event of the “Creative Korea Party” that he would run for the presidential election. Thus the field of presidential hopefuls includes one strong candidate (the Grand National Party’s Lee Myung-bak), one average candidate (Chung), and three weak candidates (Rhee In-je, Kwon Young-gil, and Mun).

The biggest variable in the presidential election is whether Chung, Rhee, and Mun will be consolidated into a single “pan-ruling party candidate.” But there are various issues regarding the specific time schedules of making one candidate, conflicts over shares for the party nominations in the general elections next year, establishing rules to boil down to one candidate considering that the UNDP has 141 seats in the National Assembly, the Democratic Party has nine seats, and the status of “independent candidate” Mun.

Even if they succeed in selecting one candidate, a survey by this newspaper and the Korea Research Center on October 7 said that the selected candidate, whose combined approval rating could be less than 30%, will not be able to beat Lee Myung-bak, whose approval rate is over 50%.

It is also not clear whether Sohn and Lee will cooperate with Chung and President Roh.

Grand National Party’s spokesperson Na Gyeong-won said, “Chung is a traitor-politician who has repeatedly betrayed his party and who is the main culprit of illegal and irregular practices in the primary.” She criticized him, saying, “He was elected as the candidate through betrayal. But his reputation as the person responsible for the failure of the current administration, will remain with him.”

Past and current presidents meet to discuss summit

JoongAng Daily, October 10, 2007

For the first time in nearly a year, President Roh Moo-hyun met with his predecessor yesterday, and conservatives were quick to criticize.

“If it’s true that the meeting today was held only to explain the outcome of the summit, as the Blue House says, all of the former presidents should have been invited,” said Na Kyung-won, the Grand National Party spokeswoman.

Former president Kim Dae-jung and Roh met at a luncheon yesterday at the Blue House, and talked about the recent inter-Korean summit, the presidential office said.

Roh said he felt uncomfortable at first in Pyongyang because the reclusive leader Kim Jong-il reacted negatively to his proposals for special economic zones, according to pool reports of yesterday’s luncheon.

Roh told his predecessor that Kim Jong-il put too much of a focus on autonomy and the importance of driving away outside forces, so Roh felt “at a loss.” But soon, Roh said, he slowly felt “things were going well.”

“I felt the same way too in 2000,” responded Kim Dae-jung.

Roh said, “I persuaded him [Kim Jong-il] by stressing that some of South Korea’s overseas investments need to be sent to North Korea.”

Roh and Kim Dae-jung last met 11 months ago when Kim’s presidential library opened on the campus of Yonsei University.

The conservatives said yesterday’s meeting was designed to help the as yet unnamed liberal candidate in the presidential election in two months.

The Blue House maintained its stance that politics had nothing to do with yesterday’s meeting between Roh and Kim.

“Mr. Kim noted President Roh’s crossing of the inter-Korean border line on foot [during the summit] stirred worldwide interest and he praised the inter-Korean agreement for creating a special peace zone in the Yellow Sea maritime border as an excellent and outstanding idea,” said Cheon Ho-seon, the Blue House spokesman.

By Lee Min-a Staff Writer [mina@joongang.co.kr]

Roh orchestration of primary eyed

JoongAng Daily, September 18, 2007

The Grand National Party and some liberals who are critical of President Roh Moo-hyun fear that the United New Democratic Party primary is being manipulated.

Chung Dong-young and Sohn Hak-kyu, the two leading candidates of the United New Democratic Party, both sharply hostile to Roh, said yesterday they think their primary was being controlled by an “invisible hand,” suggesting Roh.

Over the weekend, they pointed out that candidates Han Myeong-sook and Rhyu Si-min withdrew from the race and threw their support behind Lee Hae-chan, their rival and an ally of the president.

Rhyu became Lee’s campaign manager after he withdrew, and Lee scored more votes in the weekend’s second round of voting than he had in the first stage.

Chung and Sohn also pointed out that former pro-Roh Uri members had been divided almost equally between supporting Han, Rhyu and Lee before the primary began.

Supporters of Chung and Sohn are now looking to see what Han, a former prime minister, will do next.

Her aides have said that Han only decided to run after securing the blessing of Roh, but she decided to pull out in order to narrow the field of pro-Roh candidates. Some of Rhyu’s supporters are also puzzled by his early withdrawal.

“It was hard to understand why they gave up so quickly when they wanted to be president so badly,” one lawmaker said.

The GNP sees a conspiracy afoot. “The pro-Roh liberals are pretending to pick Lee Hae-chan as their candidate, but the climax of this puppet show is that they are probably going to back Moon Kook-hyun later,” GNP Spokeswoman Na Kyung-won said, referring to the former CEO of Yuhan-Kimberly Ltd. who announced his presidential bid late last month.

The Blue House denied intervention in the primary.

“Everyone in this country knows that the president does not use his authority for such things,” said Cheon Ho-seon, the Blue House spokesman. “We want to hear reasonable criticism instead of groundless doubts.”

By Lee Min-a Staff Writer/ Kim Sung-tak oongAng Ilbo

2 Agencies Hit for Surveillance of GNP Candidate

Korea Times, August 30, 2007

By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter

The main opposition Grand National Party (GNP) Thursday criticized two government agencies for monitoring all the personal assets of its presidential candidate Lee Myung-bak and his family members.

It said it will seek the parliamentary appointment of an independent counsel to look into the alleged misconduct of the National Tax Service (NTS) and the National Intelligence Service (NIS).

The reaction came out after a report that the state agencies have looked into all property trading records of the former Seoul mayor and his family members for the past few years.

Lee said, ``Such a surveillance should not have happened and should not take place again in the future.''

He said the incident is a reflection that this country is based on an immature political culture, given that the tax agency monitored wealth of the opposition party nominee for arguably political purposes.

Lee urged the prosecution to find the person behind the smear politics designed to discredit him.

The GNP characterized the incident as political surveillance against the opposition party's leading presidential nominee.

The prosecution concluded its investigation in mid-August as it said it could not find any evidence that Lee and his family members had violated laws in property trading. It also concluded that it has not found any evidence the two state agencies broke the law in their monitoring of personal wealth of the former Seoul mayor and his family members.

But the prosecution said Wednesday it has begun to reinvestigate the case, apparently at the prodding of the GNP.

``Our investigation is focused on the possible leakage of the information regarding Lee's real estate transactions. So far we have not found any evidence supporting that these agencies are associated with illegal activities,'' said a prosecutor in charge of the case.

Rep. Na Kyung-won, however, urged the prosecution to name the one responsible for the surveillance of the opposition presidential nominee and his family members. She said without instruction from above, the agencies would not have combed through Lee's personal wealth.

hkang@koreatimes.co.kr