In her New Year’s address, Grand National Party (GNP) chairwoman gave her views about the management of government affairs and the Korea-Japan treaty issue. It is encouraging to have her place considerable importance on the welfare of the people and let it be known that for the people’s welfare she is ready for cooperation and frank dialogue. The urgent legislation relating to the people’s welfare that was left unresolved last year due to partisan infighting should be passed in February’s extraordinary National Assembly session.
Park proposed that 2005 be the “Year of No Political Fighting,” that for the sake of the country’s welfare. Having the National Assembly’s membership not wrestling and confronting each other and instead resolving conflict based on democratic principles is something the whole country wants to see. The larger responsibility for fighting without ever suggesting alternative legislation, however, lies with the GNP. Instead of pretending its behavior was never a problem and talking about having a “year of no political fighting,” her party needs to be flexible and show good faith. Society’s serious conflicts cannot be resolved without reform, so the welfare of the people must not be used as an excuse to sweep reform to the wayside.
Park’s historical consciousness regarding the Korea-Japan treaty is very disappointing. The truth about the treaty, revealed 40 years after the fact, is shameful and scandalous. Truly the only conclusion you can make about it is that it was an “illicit political union of power groups in Korea and Japan that ignored judging past history and the individual rights of the victims.” Instead of humbly apologizing and reflecting on that, she displayed what was not an honest approach when she said the “country was poor and the men involved used the money for economic development,” defending the treaty as inevitable.
She did leave open the possibility of discussing personal claim rights and government compensation at the National Assembly. It is a contradiction for her to nevertheless be saying that it is historians who should be making inquiries into the past and not the politicians. The victims of Japanese imperialism are suffering the same lives they were 40 years ago. The past is not history; it is the present, the future. Straightening out that which is bent untrue is exactly what the National Assembly should be doing.
Park must not try to hide the sun from shining on the truth about the past with claims seeking that truth is being “abused for political means.”
The Hankyoreh, 20 January 2005.
[Translations by Seoul Selection (PMS)]
[Editorial] Nat’l Assembly Must Straighten Out What’s Twisted |
