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Millennium Democratic Party presidential candidate Roh Mu-hyun and National Alliance 21 candidate Chung Mong-joon dramatically reached an agreement to nominate a single presidential candidate between them. Because of this, it has became inevitable to change the current presidential race structure from a three man battle; a so-called "one strong and two moderates:" to a two party competition.
With respect to the recent agreement that a public opinion poll will be taken after TV debates between Roh and Chung to select a single strong candidate, the Grand National Party announced it as an election law violation. Now, it seems that we should wait for the Central Election Management Committee's decision regarding the GNP's claim.
In spite of such obstacles ahead of nominating a single candidate, we see a positive side to the agreement, since the future nominating process can wipe out any concerns upon voter's increasing indifferences based on seemingly predestined election result represented as "one strong and two moderates." Usually, voter indifference leads to a decrease in the voting rate, and eventually it could reduce a future administration's legitimacy and enforcement power, no matter whom becomes the next president.
However, considering the totally different backgrounds, ideologies, public policies and political lines of Roh and Chung, and the selection of a single candidate between them ignoring their pasts, we have many doubts on what kind of political spectrum the single candidate will show in the future. Generally, an election is the voter's judgment after a competition between the ruling party and the opposition one. Keeping this in mind, it selection of a single presidential candidate takes an dubious attitudes while increasing people's doubts since the two candidates, Chung and Roh, have not made a clear statement defining their relations with the current administration.
The single candidate between Roh and Chung only became possible under a slogan of "Anti-Lee, Hoi-chang." Considering that, we also have doubts whether the two different support bases of Rho and Chung can be automatically putting together satisfying a law of algebra. Regarding that matter, nobody will give a prediction, and also whoever becomes the single candidate will bring out different results.
We only hope that selection of a single presidential candidate will unveil the obscurity of the presidential race while creating a clear showdown to bring out a meaningful and genuine presidential competition.
November 18, 2002
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