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Politicians have begun to migrate to the camps of Lee Hoi-chang and Roh Moo-hyun, now that the two have secured their positions as candidates. Most recently, eight MDP members, who had strongly criticized Roh and left the party, returned to their ideological fold. Kim Won-kil and Park Sang-kyu, who had been leaders in the MDP, joined the GNP. There are rumors that Rhee In-jae and his followers are to join the GNP.
There must be some reason for this, as the campaign structure is now divided into two major hostile camps, leaving no place for a third party to camp out. Anti-Roh groups within the MDP and groups in the ULD are increasingly turning towards the GNP. We cannot harshly criticize their moves, which are only meant for their survival as politicians.
Admitting this, it is still disgusting to see major politicians and public figures suddenly change their party identification for only a short-term benefit. Kim Young-bae left the MDP, attacking the selection procedure of Roh's candidacy and left the party, after taking the post of in-party management for the MDP primary. He and Yoo Yong-tae, who had been the MDP's secretary general but also left the party, are rumored to be returning to the fold with the excuse that their "mission" to establish a single candidate has been accomplished.
It is questionable, however, how much these two did to promote a single candidacy. Rather, it appears that they are moving on base calculations of interest, having left the party believing that Roh would lose. Now that Roh's candidacy is strengthened, they returned, a sure sign of fair-weather friendship.
The cases of Kim Won-kil and Park Sang-kyu make us sick, as they both had been ministers and policy chiefs, as well as secretary general, for the MDP. They behaved as if they were the standard-bearers of Kim Dae-jung's reforms. Their calculated change, following the winds of power, makes us believe that they have gone beneath even the low ethical expectations society reserves for politicians. The GNP should never have accepted indiscriminately such base and vile politicians. The GNP's acceptance of these two is equally as disgusting.
November 27, 2002
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