(EDITORIAL from the JoongAng Daily on June 12)

What Lee must do now

The current chaotic state of affairs has many things in common with last year???s
candlelight demonstrations against resumption of U.S. beef imports.
At the time,
the government???s missteps in the course of negotiations on the beef issue
prompted massive demonstrations by the public and people critical of the Lee
Myung-bak administration. The unscientific argument that U.S. beef would cause
mad cow disease in humans was highly incendiary. As time passed, demonstrators
went beyond the beef issue and demanded government reforms.
This time around, protesters were in large part inspired by the shocking suicide
of former President Roh Moo-hyun. The confusion between the legitimacy of the
prosecution???s investigation and the extreme devices used by the prosecution in
its investigation have further fanned anti-Lee sentiment. The separate waves of
protest saw TV broadcasters producing provocative reports and opposition
political parties and civic groups becoming actively involved in organizing
demonstrations. In addition, President Lee takes the same attitude toward these
protests and those of last summer.
Sources say that Lee plans to make a statement on the radio sometime around next
Monday ?? 20 days after Roh???s death. But radio is an inappropriate form of
communication for this kind of statement. The president is supposed to
communicate with the Korean people through dialogue, not radio, which only allows
for one-way communication.
Although Roh???s suicide is a tragedy, Lee should point out that there is no
basis for phrases such as ???political revenge,??? ???political murder??? and
???retreat of democracy??? when he speaks.
Today, the prosecution is scheduled to make an interim report on its
investigation into the corruption scandal surrounding the late President Roh.
When Lee speaks, he should explain why the investigation was justifiable while
also making recommendations for how the severe investigative procedures can be
improved.
He should also make it clear that illegal protests like the ones last year are no
longer acceptable and that Roh???s death can become a point of departure for
national harmony.
Above all, he must talk about his plans for political reform, including
reconciliation with Park Geun-hye. He should also refute arguments that the
administration only supports the haves and put to rest any lingering suspicions
that the project to revive the nation???s four major rivers is the Grand Canal
project he abandoned amid public criticism.
Lee was elected president with 48.7 percent of the vote. Why is he afraid to
stand in front of the Korean people? The people will listen to him, but only if
he shows he is sincere.
(END)