Watching the confused state of affairs at the ruling Uri Party these days makes you dizzy. The lack of constructive activity and internal strife since its complete defeat in April's elections shows no sign going away. At its Assembly members' and local committee leaders' workshop last month in Muju they issued a statement to the nation saying they are "engaging in excruciating reflection on how we caused the people worry and disappointment with our arrogance and indolence," but it ended there. Assembly members are attacking president Roh Moo Hyun's government and party leadership without choosing their words carefully. While there is advice worthy of attention such as the need for a change of people and a reorganization of the "presidential advisory commissions," in the same statements there are dangerous comments as well, some that seem to be calling for an abandonment of the government's reform policies.
Such is the case and still party leadership has been unable to do anything in response. Chairman Moon Hee Sang needs to be holding things together but he has almost completely lost control, and on Wednesday standing central committee member Yum Dong Yun resigned his position citing internal conflict. Committee members Chang Young Dal and Yu Simin have joined in the attacks on presidential aides and party leadership. Instead of taking hold of the situation, Uri's leaders are running around confused.
Each of Korea's political parties are working hard to create a new type of political leadership now that the "emperor-like party presidents" have disappeared with their monopoly on funds and candidate selection authority. The new style of leadership will not be made by scholars. It must be created through the painful work of the party chairman, the whole of party leadership, and regular members in the context of the political reality. Uri was created as a party to, in terms of class, "build a country where the middle class and common people (seomin) live well." Once it departs from that party platform, therefore, it loses its reason for being. Its leadership needs to see the people's disapproving opinion for what it is and reinvent itself. Otherwise the anger of the faithful voters who supported it in the last general election will not subside.
The Hankyoreh, 9 June 2005.
[Translations by Seoul Selection (PMS)]
[Editorial] The Confused State of Uri Leadership |
