[Editorial] 'Police Law' Becomes Campaign Tool

The government and ruling party decided Monday to move ahead with the revision to the law on police officers in its original form, something that is the direct opposite of what it did fifteen days ago, when it submitted a "re-revision" because of problems it saw in the structure of the law, a lack of balance compared to similar laws, and the financial burden that the revision in its current form would mean. Looking at the whole process involved in revising the law on police officers, you wonder if the government and ruling party have any standards and principles at all when it comes to deciding policy.

The revision bill calls for an expansion of automatic promotion up to the rank of lieutenant and reducing the period for promotions for patrolmen and senior officers by one year each. It was approved by the ruling and opposition parties last year in the National Assembly, but the president sent it back with some adjustments. He told them to make it more balanced with laws on firefighters and prison officers, and to find the money to pay for it all. Now, just yesterday, the government and ruling party decide to keep the bill as planned and to revise the law on firefighters so that they, too, are promoted after a certain number of years of service. They went directly against the president's intentions when he told them to improve the bill and against the contents of the "re-revision," so in a way they solved the lack of balance problem by making everyone happy.

The cabinet minister responsible for all this is rumored to be getting ready to run in regional elections in May. Now some fifteen days after saying something different he says "the party came up with a good plan," changing his position as if flipping his hand. The party's leadership proudly says this is an instance where "the party led the way in policy." All that sounds like is self-congratulation at creating policy meant just to impress the people.

One of course fully agrees with the idea that laws need to be changed so as to improve the climate for civil servants who have to work in poor and unique conditions. And it would have been difficult to go against what are now police expectations. But if policy gets decided by soothing the baby that cries the most, what are the government and ruling party going to do about other demands from civil servants like prison officers? While taking a mountain hike yesterday president Roh Moo Hyun reportedly complained about how affairs of state keep getting influenced by various elections. The government and ruling party need to be careful not to lose over the long-term by seeking short-term advantage.

The Hankyoreh, 28 February 2006.

[Translations by Seoul Selection]