(EDITORIAL from the Korea Times on July 13)

Laid to Rest: Late Leader's Democratic Ideals Should Be Kept Alive

Deceased former President Roh Moo-hyun was committed to the earth Friday in a
ceremony attended by more than 30,000 people.

Conspicuous by their complete absence at the burial service near the late
leader's private residence were governing camp officials. ``We have already
expressed condolences on a party level around the funeral. So there were no
discussions about attending the burial," said a spokesman of the Grand National
Party.
Such lack of minimal courtesy, as well as the failure of President Lee Myung-bak
to voice some regret ??? let alone an apology ??? about the prosecuting process
that drove his predecessor to suicide, shows how hollow the ruling camp's calls
for unity and harmony are.
Even more worrisome is the possibility that President Lee and his party might
also want to bury the democratic ideals pursued by the previous administration
??? greater decentralization of power and better communication with voters ???
along with the late Roh's remains. Ominous signs are everywhere the governing
camp has already resumed their efforts to erase the legacy of what they call
``the lost decade."
The Lee administration and the governing party, temporarily taken aback in the
face of nationwide ``Roh syndrome'' longing for more humble, people-friendly
leadership, is rapidly returning to business as usual, pushing ahead with
policies that alienate the weak and poor in favor of the rich and powerful, such
as big businesses and large media outlets.
A case that best illustrates this administration's cold-hearted policy and
governance is its handling of the five victims who were killed during the police
crackdown on squatters in Yongsan redevelopment district, for whom a joint
funeral is yet to be held 175 days after their death. All the bereaved families
want is ??? again ??? the ``minimal courtesy'' of disclosing the truths about the
brutal quelling, and an apology from responsible officials, a demand the
government has been flatly rejecting.
President Lee has recently vowed to move toward political centrism and a
pro-working class administration. Why should a government trying to portray
itself as a friend to social underdogs kill the squatters and not even say sorry
for it? Why would a government allegedly working for the good of working people
try to perpetuate the plight of temporary workers under the pretext of protecting
them from unemployment? And what people-friendly government would move to
increase taxes on the average wage earners to make up for a revenue vacuum caused
by hefty tax cuts for the large enterprises and wealthy property holders? A
president and government should be judged by actions and policies, not by words
or gestures.
Not much freer from responsibility for the current social and political chaos are
the opposition parties, which attack President Lee as a dictator and pledge to
oust his administration as if by means ``other than voting.'' The incumbent
President may be far less democratic than his predecessors or even authoritarian,
but calling democratically-elected Lee a dictator and treating him as such is
neither proper nor wise for the opposition.
Academics or civic activists may resort to the democracy-vs. -dictatorship tactic
but politicians cannot. They need to workout viable alternatives ??? policies and
other concrete measures ??? and provide voters with realistic options.
This notwithstanding, the main responsibility for calming the confusion and
bringing the nation back to stability lies with the governing camp, and President
Lee in particular. Now is the time for the chief executive to take a longer-term
perspective and practice genuine centrism based on more magnanimous policies and
attitudes.
When the public increasingly begins to miss a President who is no longer, that
means the President who is here is in big trouble.
(END)