hankyoreh

At Seoul Station. (Yonhap News)

　By Ahn Chang-hyun, Staff Writer and Son Won-je, Staff Writer

　Lee Myung-bak rebuked opposition leaders for changing their position on the South Korea-United States Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA) during a press conference Wednesday to mark his fourth year in office.

　Despite expectations that he would focus on apologizing for improprieties involving close associates, Lee instead directed criticisms at Democratic Unity Party (DUP) chairperson Han Myeong-sook, People’s Participation Party co-chairman Rhyu Si-min, and former Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan, in what observers took as implicit support for Saenuri Party emergency measures committee chairperson Park Geun-hye’s recent attempt to make the KORUS FTA into an election issue.

　Speaking at the press conference Wednesday, Lee said, “It’s unfortunate that the same people who supported the KORUS FTA and Jeju naval base very actively are [now] opposing them.”

　“I’m sure there are various strategies you can adopt when election time comes around, what can you really do for the country‘s future when you abandon what you did in the past?” he asked.

　Lee read off pre-prepared materials stating that Han was shown in National Assembly stenographic records stating in a February 2007 question and answer session that the naval base construction was “inevitable.”

　Lee also cited statements about the base from Lee and Rhyu, who said it was “not a contradiction in terms to have an island of peace and a naval base.”

　Lee also gave a lengthy explanation on the need for nuclear power plants before quoting Han as saying while presiding over a nuclear power meeting that South Korea “needs to become one of the world’s top five nuclear power countries.”

　Lee spent 13 of the press conference‘s 63 minutes criticizing the opposition.

　Analysts said Lee’s offensive against the opposition just before the general election was likely based on the determination that the issues would work in the ruling party‘s favor. His remarks were in line with an attack Monday by Park, who said, “We need to put the opposition on trial for changing their tune on the FTA.”

　Underlying the president’s unusual decision to provoke the opposition by singling out its party chairs by name is the concern that he could find himself cornered if the opposition assumes the majority in the general election. Another factor may have been a desire to avoid any ruling party rattling of the Cheong Wa Dae (South Korea‘s presidential office, or Blue House) by providing indirect support to the Saenuri Party, which is in crisis ahead of April’s election.

　Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Park Jung-ha said that Lee “explained several pressing issues as he marked four years in office, and it had nothing to do with the general election.”

　The opposition called the offensive “disappointing.”

　Speaking at a briefing, DUP spokesman Shin Kyung-min said, “The person who is frustrated and angry and wants to beat his chest is not President Lee, but the South Korean citizen.”

　“The basic stance of a leader should be to reexamine policies [such as the KORUS FTA] when the surrounding situation and conditions change,” Shin added.

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