EDITORIAL from Korea Herald on Sept. 26)

Roh's proper role

Given Korea's short democratic tradition, it may not be easy for Roh Moo-hyun to find a role model for himself among former presidents.

Of the nine former
presidents, three were dictators, with or without military backgrounds. One had
his career tainted when he participated in a coup as an Army general, and two
others were nothing but titular heads of state.
Even so, it is not so agreeable for Roh, as the immediate predecessor of the
incumbent president, to provoke political controversy. By doing so, he will sully
his not-so-reputable image yet further. One such example is his ill-considered
remark about opposition lawmakers hailing from the southwestern region of the
nation -- the North and South Jeolla provinces.
Roh said Monday that it was lawmakers from Honam (the southwestern part of the
nation) -- all of them virtually assured of reelections -- that were ruining the
opposition Democratic Party. "A (regional) rally behind the Democratic Party will
never make it a governing or majority party. Unity in Honam (for one party) will
only serve to make Yeongnam (the southeastern region) unity unbreakable."
His remark invited an instant rebuttal from a lawmaker from South Jeolla
Province. The lawmaker accused Roh of turning his back on Honam voters, reminding
him that he could not have been elected president had it not been for their
overwhelming support. He said, "Wasn't it former President Roh Moo-hyun who
ruined the Democratic Party? Didn't he split from the Democratic Party (to create
his own party) after winning the election with help from the party's stronghold?"

It is an undeniable fact that he owed the Democratic Party and its supporters
much for his election to the presidency in 2002. It is also true that, after his
election, he broke away from the party to create his own with lawmakers close to
him.
Of course, this is not to say that the Democratic Party is performing well. On
the contrary, its approval rating was posted at a dismal 14 percent, well below
the ruling Grand National Party's 33.6 percent, in the latest opinion poll by a
domestic newspaper.
As Roh suggests, it may be impossible for the Democratic Party to evolve into a
nationally represented political group if it fails to shed its image as a
regional party. But is it really necessary for Roh to get himself involved in
day-to-day politics?
Roh's desire to talk politics was evident when he launched "Democracy 2.0," an
online forum, last week. He has since commented on the current financial crisis,
the Lee administration's neo-liberal economic policy, the national pension
program and other politically sensitive issues. Those managing Democracy 2.0 say
that the online forum, which follows the "Web 2.0 principle of participation,
openness and sharing," aims to turn Korea into a better democratic society.
But it is not just cynics that regard Democracy 2.0 as just one more entry into
the overcrowded online community. There are many others besides. Quite a few
opinion leaders even suspect that Roh may be seeking to regroup his supporters in
pursuit of greater influence.
In the absence of statutory regulations, Roh may pursue his goals, no matter
what. But he could have done better when he was in office if he really wanted to
build a better democratic society. Moreover, he could serve the nation better as
a former president if he rose above his usual concentration on domestic politics
and pursued a nobler goal.
Roh may find a model for himself in former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, who has
devoted himself to Habitat for Humanity International and tried to settle
regional conflicts by peaceful means. Carter, who may have been a mediocre
president, has now risen to statesman status.