hankyoreh

May 27.

Former President Roh Moo-hyun’s suicide has caused waves to ripple through political circles. The ruling and opposition parties together have been reserved in their public responses out of respect the mournful atmosphere surrounding memorializing Roh’s death. Several observers, however, anticipate that parties are preparing countermeasures to internal as well as public sentiments of outrage directed towards the Cheong Wa Dae (the presidential office in South Korea or Blue House) and ruling Grand National Party (GNP), demanding changes in national affairs.

Lee Kyung-heon, director of a political consulting company, said, “President Lee Myung-bak’s method of governance which emphasizes the severance of political groups and the use of the police as a tool of control will not be effective any more.” He added, “Public criticism has gone beyond targeting the prosecutors (investigating Roh) to President Lee’s way of ruling.”

In the ruling GNP, there are also some voices asking for a change in right-leaning tendencies in handling national affairs. A GNP lawmaker said, “The by-election results have already indicated that people are in disfavor of President Lee’s self-serving method of governance.” Furthermore, the suicide of former President Roh could become a detonator for changing President Lee’s method of governance.”

Some experts say that while there is no way for the government to escape the image of cruelty and political retaliation, it can accept demands for change. Kang Won-taek, professor of Soongsil University said, “The suicide of former President Roh should be an opportunity for President Lee to reflect on his method of governance. Only when he reflects on this, which includes his methods of constraining civil rights and forcefully trying to pass controversial bills, can he address the people’s rage.”

However, it is not certain that President Lee will submit to demands, even though the intensity of the public’s anger has increased, due to possible criticism from conservative factions, which comprise their main political base. Han Kui-young, a researcher of Korea Society Opinion Institute said, “It seems that changing his method of governance is the best response to the situation that President Lee has, however, in doing so, he could lose approval from conservatives, which comprise 30 percent to 35 percent of our society. Therefore, President Lee may be worried about a collapse in his political base if he changes his current methods of governance.”

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