hankyoreh

the executive director of The Hope Institute

Park Won-sun, the executive director of Hope Institute, a civic think tank, criticized the Lee Myung-bak administration on Monday and announced his intentions to meet with Won Sei-hoon, director of National Intelligence Service (NIS), to discuss the charges the NIS has filed against him for compensation for damages.

The charges were filed by the Lee Administration in response to Park’s allegation that the Lee Administration is using the NIS to keep illegal surveillance over civil society in order to apply pressure against its critics.

In a speech at a breakfast meeting held by the “Alliance for Progressive and Reformist Legislation” at the National Assembly, Park stated, “I started to reflect on the textbook principles of democracy when I became the target of a NIS lawsuit seeking compensation.” He added, “If the NIS has been involved in keeping surveillance over citizens while straying from its task of national security, we have a major problem on our hands.” Park emphasized, “I intend to discuss this matter with the chief of NIS on TV, if he is willing.”

Park also hinted that he may run for political office by saying, “Since this affair, I have given painstaking thought to whether to continue on as an activist or to get involved in politics.” He then said, “I have come to the conclusion that various problems could be resolved during the municipal election in 2010.”

In his speech, Park also called the Lee Administration a “Great Retreat,” and predicted that it would “fall rapidly in one or two years because it is not a pragmatic government.” Park also cited problems in the Lee administration, including a lack of soundness in its vetting of Cabinet officials, artificial common people-friendly policies, a lack of consciousness against irregularities, and corruption.

Park also criticized progressive factions by saying, “Progressive factions should be creating alternatives instead of merely protesting.”

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