Uri Party, you didn't win for being liked

Sung Hanyong, Senior Reporter for the Hankyoreh

"Myself and others in the Uri Party have worked hard, believing that politics, too, must be done with sincerity, but we have still been unable to earn your trust." --Uri chairman Chung Dong-young, May 16.

"We have twice received the people's encouragement, in that we got the current government elected and won a majority in the National Assembly, but we have failed to meet the country's expectations. I dare ask of you: please give us another round of encouragement." --Uri supreme council member Kim Keun-tae, May 15.

The ruling Uri Party is in a state of panic these days. Its candidates and other important members are busy running around ahead of the regional elections scheduled for May 31, and everywhere they go they hear the party accused of being "incompetent" and "impertinent." It would be one thing if such criticism was coming from supporters of the main opposition Grand National Party (GNP), but when it comes from Uri supporters, party officials start wondering. Why are they hearing this? Does the criticism have basis? They have asked and asked again, and the reasons are vaguely becoming apparent.

When it comes to the incompetence, the first reason is the economy. Domestic consumption is not picking up, and that is killing the middle class and the common people. The Roh administration brags about never resorting to artificial measures to stimulate the economy. At first that sounded okay, but now a lot of people wonder if it just doesn't know economics.

The administration is also bad at dealing with crises. A lot of people were shocked to see the military and civilian protesters in direct conflict at Daechu-ri, in Pyeongtaek. Forget about which side is in the right. The situation made people doubt the current administration's ability to mediate conflict and manage crises.

The Blue House and Uri leadership both protest the accusations of incompetence, saying they are undeserved, and that they have not done anything wrong. Therein lies the problem. The current government's accomplishments amount to all that it has not done. It has not reigned high over the people and it has not manipulated the prosecution and the rest of the state power apparatus. Surely it has "done" something, but it is hard to see what that is.

Sometimes the response is to rhetorically ask if the GNP is competent. I'm not sure whether the GNP is competent or incompetent, but Seoul mayor Lee Myung-bak is competent at what he does. His accomplishments include Cheonggyecheon and the reorganization of the city's transportation system. He says he's going to carve a canal from Seoul to Busan if he becomes president. Some suggest he would turn the country into one big public works project, but at any rate he says he is going to "do" something. Politics is the business of selling the future. Uri's problem is that is isn't showing a vision of the future to the country.

There is substance to the criticisms of impertinence, as well. On September 17, 2004 President Roh said that people in the Honam region (comprising North and South Jeolla provinces) voted for him not because they like him, but because they disliked the candidate Lee Hoi-chang. On September 9, 2005 he said that the Uri Party was founded to escape the label of being a regional party from Honam. His comments are still being circulated among people associated with the Democratic Party.

Twenty seven first-time National Assembly members from Uri criticized former prime minister Goh Kun for not aligning himself with the party during the last regional elections. They thought he was trying to get a free ride. Later, one Uri Assembly member compared Mr. Goh to a hyena. Even people who are not his supporters found that comparison displeasing. Uri chairman Chung Dong-young's insulting comments regarding the elderly were not received any better. "Talk" is your own thoughts coming out of your mouth. Imprudent talk comes from misperception and arrogance.

When, on December 18, 2002, the night before the presidential election, independent Assembly member Chung Mong-joon suddenly withdrew his support from Millennium Democratic Party candidate Roh Moo-hyun, quite a few people who had intended to vote for Democratic Labor Party candidate Kwon Young-ghil decided to vote for Roh. In the National Assembly election held April 15, 2004, a lot of people voted for Uri candidates they didn't know the names of, just to rescue the president.

These days you frequently hear people remembering that the current government did not get into power because those in it are good at what they do. That is why Uri's "introspection" about its current state is not very convincing.