hankyoreh

The candlelight protests are being pummeled simultaneously by the conservative media, conservative commentators and the government. The conservative media, sometimes called “ChoJoongDong,” an acronym that refers to the Chosun Ilbo, JoongAng Ilbo and Dong-a Ilbo, fired the opening salvo. In the past few days, they have accused the candle-bearing protesters of losing the purity of their original intention because they have shifted the focus of the protests beyond the original goal of opposing the resumption of U.S. beef imports. The candlelight protests now encompass the Grand Korean Waterway project and defense of state-run broadcasters.

Meanwhile, President Lee Myung-bak, who has in the past shown some restraint on the issue, joined the “candle bashing” indirectly when he said, “The Internet needs to be a place of trust. The strength of the Internet can be poisonous instead of medicinal if people can’t have faith in it.” In addition, right-wing journalist Jo Gap-je and novelist Lee Moon-yeol have been instigating the conservative forces to form an “anti-candle army in the name of justice.” How irresponsible they are.

The idea that the conservatives have latched onto is that the candlelight protests became unfocused as they turned into political demonstrations. This argument is the result of a basic misunderstanding about the candlelight protests themselves or an intentional distortion. Although it’s right to say that the agreement to resume imports of U.S. beef sparked the candlelight protests, the fundamental cause was the government’s one-sided management of the public administration. With the will of a majority of people being ignored, people have been angry because the government has tried to return to the era of anti-democratic authoritarian rule by fully resuming imports of U.S. beef, going through with its pledge to build the cross-country canal and strengthening its grip on public broadcasters. The natural consequence is that the candlelight protesters have chosen also to protest against the canal, the liberalization of education, medical privatization and an alleged intervention into public broadcasting.

The conservative media has so far claimed that certain progressive politicians masterminded the candlelight rallies. But the speculation that there may be someone behind the nightly protests reeks of conspiracy because the conservative press admitted a few days ago that the candlelight rallies have been organized by the “whole-hearted, volunteer efforts” of the general public, and not by a kind of systematic mobilization orchestrated by an established organization or a mastermind behind the scenes. Accordingly, the conservative “ChoJoongDong” newspapers have lost the public trust and are now facing widespread opposition because of inconsistencies in their reports.

This is not the time for the far-right to incite people to oppose the against candlelight protests. If they are seriously worried about the nation, then as responsible conservatives it seems their duty should be to criticize the government of President Lee for not following the will of the people. Only by so doing can they regain the public trust. In addition, the Lee government should, instead of waiting for the candlelight rallies to subside during the rainy season in late-June, fully overhaul its policy agenda and bring it in line with the Constitution, which says that the authority of the state emanates from the will of the people. If the government continues to carry out its ill-conceived tactics without reshaping its policy agenda, it seems it will alienate itself from the people, a position it will not be able to get out of.

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