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The Grand National Party (GNP) has announced that it is filing a lawsuit to ask for a recount of the presidential election vote. This is a turnabout from the initial defeat accepting position of the party, although it said the lawsuit was not meant to be a rejection of the outcome of the election itself. However, this is such a sensitive issue that it could put the whole country into chaos.
The GNP should have brought the issue to the National Election Commission (NEC) first, if it had any doubts about the election processes. Checking to see if alleged miscounts were true was the first step it should have taken. The NEC should investigate the case of Anseong, Gyeonggi Province, which the GNP is citing as evidence of election mismanagement. If there were any suspicions about the election processes, the NEC should see to it that they are they are cleared up.
However, the GNP¡¯s action in bringing a lawsuit before the commission has had a chance to investigate the accusations of election mismanagement could be interpreted as having political designs.
It seems that the sensitivity of the matter had GNP members worrying about the lawsuit also. One representative who asked not to be identified said, "What if GNP dies twice?" However, the current law stipulates that the only way there can be a partial recount is when there is a lawsuit. And rumors on the Internet of election mismanagement are having their toll.
The GNP and NEC should investigate the rumors as soon as possible. This issue should not become a political game, especially in the current situation.
December 25, 2002
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