[Editorial] After nominations

The ruling Saenuri Party and the main opposition Democratic United Party are speeding up their processes of parliamentary nomination ― including the selection of nominees in certain electoral districts and the designation of certain other districts for primaries. Several more days will be needed to finalize the processes.Both parties have a set of criteria for nomination. They include loyalty to the party and popularity in electoral districts. No less important are connections to party leaders a

March 7, 2012

[Editorial] Flawed investigation

It would be outrageous if prosecutors demanded evidence relevant to their legal proceeding be destroyed. But a former government official, who destroyed evidence relevant to a criminal case, claims that he did so when he was told by an official of the presidential office that prosecutors demanded it be removed before a warrant for search and seizure was served.Of course, the prosecutors’ office denies the accusations with vehemence. A senior prosecutor is quoted as saying, “We did everything we

March 7, 2012

[Editorial] Strikes at broadcasters

It is alarming that a wave of strikes is hitting broadcasting networks where reporters and program directors are protesting against their managements, which they claim have colluded with government authorities to suppress fair reporting. Reporters at Yonhap News, the only national news agency, also joined in the strikes in which the media employees demand the departure of their presidents.At MBC, some 700 reporters and producers are on strike since Jan. 30. They say that the independence of the

March 6, 2012

[Editorial] Putin’s Russia

In pursuit of a stronger and more assertive position in the global community, Russians gave Vladimir Putin virtually his fourth straight mandate ― including four years of regency ― in Sunday’s presidential election. Putin can extend his rule till 2024, but all will depend on how fast the opposition will be nourished by public desire for reform and democracy.Opposition rallies denouncing what they claimed was election rigging across the country ― one example: nearly 100 percent Putin votes with a

March 6, 2012

[Editorial] Union-party alliance

When Lee Yong-deuk, leader of the more moderate of Korea’s two national labor unions, joined the main opposition Democratic United Party as an appointed member of its executive council last year, he must have had specific goals to attain other than simple policy coordination. Observers guessed he must have been aiming at securing “several” National Assembly seats for his colleagues at the Federation of Korean Trade Unions, if not for himself, in the forthcoming general elections. Last week, Lee

March 5, 2012

[Editorial] North Korean hysteria

It does not take much expertise in North Korean affairs to know what is behind the anti-South Korean hysteria Pyongyang is exhibiting these days. First of all, a hate-the-South campaign is the best stimulant to generate people’s loyalty to the new leader, who suddenly took over power upon the death of his father three months ago.Kim Jong-un, the “supreme dignity” of the North, was in Panmunjeom last Saturday. He exhorted People’s Army personnel at the truce village to be on “the highest state of

March 5, 2012

[Editorial] Pressing China on defectors

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between South Korea and China. On Friday, the two countries’ foreign ministers met in Seoul and agreed to celebrate the anniversary by holding a total of 45 events under the catchword of “good comradeship, happy partnership.”Yet the slogan sounds empty in light of the lack of cooperation between the two neighbors in handling issues involving North Korea. The latest case in point concerns North Korean defectors in C

March 4, 2012

[Editorial] Postponed investigation

The prosecution has reportedly suspended its investigation into allegations of illegal foreign currency remittance involving the daughter of President Roh Moo-hyun. The prosecution’s decision was prompted by a strong protest from the main opposition Democratic United Party. Defining the investigation as politically motivated, the party asserted that it was intended to reopen a bribery case that led to the Roh’s tragic suicide in May 2009.Prosecutors denied any intention of reopening the bribery

March 4, 2012

[Editorial] Only a ‘modest step’

Earlier in the week, Pyongyang agreed with Washington to halt nuclear tests, uranium enrichment and long-range missile test launches. The communist state also promised to allow the International Atomic Energy Agency to monitor a moratorium on uranium enrichment for the potential manufacture of nuclear weapons.Some analysts welcomed the accord as a major breakthrough in negotiations between the United States and North Korea. The South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade appeared somewhat

March 2, 2012

[Editorial] Factional strife again

Both the ruling Saenuri Party and the main opposition Democratic United Party committed themselves to upholding preset criteria when they started screening applicants for parliamentary nomination last month.But the processes are so ridden by factional strife that many applicants have threatened to run in the elections as independents if they fail to win nomination. Claiming that the processes are biased against them, they are revolting against party leaders and other powerful figures that are su

March 2, 2012

[Editorial] Make a clean breast

It is unthinkable for an incumbent court judge to ask a prosecutor to charge a person he has a grudge against ― so unthinkable that the code of ethics for judges has no mention of it in its guidelines.But a podcaster has recently accused Judge Kim Jae-ho of doing just that. He accused him of calling on a prosecutor to take action against an investigative reporter who was critical of his wife, Na Kyung-won. Na made an unsuccessful bid for the post of Seoul mayor last October.Kim is keeping silent

March 1, 2012

[Editorial] President’s brother

The prosecutors’ office has decided to launch a criminal investigation against Rep. Lee Sang-deuk. The law-enforcement agency says it will look into the large sum of money of unknown origin that is deposited in the bank account of one of his secretaries. Few believe the investigation will be limited to that individual case, given all the bribery suspicions against him, both old and new.The investigation will undoubtedly draw great public attention, not only because he is a senior lawmaker but be

March 1, 2012

[Editorial] Tapping into Mideast boom

After a recent trip to the Middle East, President Lee Myung-bak has repeatedly urged Korean companies to grab new business opportunities in the region, saying it is in the midst of an oil boom reminiscent of the 1970s and ‘80s. He has also encouraged young people looking for a job to lift up their gaze and look beyond the small domestic market.Lee, formerly president of Hyundai Engineering and Construction Co., has recently visited Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, the three key

Feb. 29, 2012

[Editorial] Shameless lawmakers

Turning a deaf ear to public outcry, lawmakers from the ruling and main opposition parties collaborated on Monday to pass an array of self-serving bills, while leaving many others related to important issues on the back burner.Among the bills they pushed through was the one that proposed to increase the number of National Assembly seats from the current 299 to 300. By passing the widely condemned legislation, lawmakers have confirmed again that their impudence knows no bounds.The bill increases

Feb. 29, 2012

[Editorial] Over-indebtedness

As one Korean business daily recently noted, each of the three previous administrations found itself mired in an economic crisis during its final year in office. Will President Lee Myung-bak’s administration experience a nightmarish economy, too? Unfortunately for both him and the rest of the nation, few would say the chances are low.Worst hit among the three was President Kim Young-sam’s administration, which failed to shield the nation from the 1997-98 Asian financial meltdown. The culprit was

Feb. 28, 2012

[Editorial] Mobile voting

In an age of ubiquitous mobile communication, it may look anachronous for voters to take the time to go to the polls on election day. Why should they do so when technology makes it possible to cast ballots anytime during the voting hours no matter where they may be? Moreover, mobile voting, if properly managed, could reduce election costs and illegal electioneering.The usefulness of mobile balloting was proven when more than 598,000 voted by mobile phone for the election of the main opposition D

Feb. 28, 2012

[Editorial] Getting priorities right

Haphazard and ill-conceived government policies lead to a waste of taxpayers’ money and give rise to unnecessary problems. For an example, one need not look further than the government’s child care policy.Starting next month, the government will provide a subsidy to all families with a child under 24 months old, regardless of their income, if they enroll them at a day care center. Previously, the subsidy was offered to families in the bottom 70 percent of the income scale.As expected, applicatio

Feb. 27, 2012

[Editorial] No more lawmakers

Political parties are moving again to increase the number of lawmakers in the Assembly. The ruling Saenuri Party and the main opposition Democratic United Party, which have been bickering over redrawing electoral districts, have patched up their differences by increasing the number of seats from the current 299 to 300.Rep. Joo Sung-young of the ruling party said on Sunday that the two parties have resolved the rezoning puzzle by embracing a proposal presented by the National Election Commission.

Feb. 27, 2012

[Editorial] Park’s legacy

Former President Park Chung-hee had amassed no substantial personal assets when he was assassinated in 1979. The May 15 Scholarship Foundation and the Yookyoung Foundation for Children formed the major part of his legacy. Park’s daughters Geun-hye and Geun-young and son Ji-man took charge of their operations. Geun-hye first served as the chairwoman of the Yookyoung foundation operating the Korea Children’s Center in eastern Seoul but turned it over to her younger sister Geun-young. Geun-hye then

Feb. 26, 2012

[Editorial] Foiled FTA debate

The government has just started domestic procedures for a free trade agreement with China. Yet, no one can tell just how long it would take to have a bilateral trade pact concluded between Korea and the world’s fastest rising economy. The very first step here, a public hearing session, went awry. The purported public debate at Seoul’s COEX last Friday, arranged by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, was disrupted by wild acts of protest by members of agricultural advocate groups. They det

Feb. 26, 2012