President Roh Moo-hyun on Wednesday continued his verbal broadsides, attributing public hostility to his performance to ¡°vested interests¡± such as public prosecutors, business and the media whose privileges he set out to erode. The president made the remarks at a luncheon meeting in Busan after being briefed on the progress on the re-development of Busan North Port. ¡°Ending the age where irregularities are commonplace and some social groups enjoy special benefits was one of my presidential campaign pledges. I think the job is almost done. Among government agencies, the prosecution is the strongest. Outside the government, the business circle is the most powerful, and the media is next,¡± he said.
 |
|
President Roh Moo-hyun speaks at a luncheon meeting held in the Busan Lottee Hotel on Wednesday.
|
 |
|
He was particularly down on the media. ¡°If I ride in a car, the media criticizes me. If I get out and walk, they also criticize me. They change their perspective from morning to night to get at me,¡± Roh said, singling out this newspaper for special condemnation. ¡°The Chosun Ilbo says it speaks out about everything it has to. But it has to do the job in the right, proper way, I think. In the current social structure, the media benefits if the owner of a conglomerate is arrested.¡± Roh said, ¡°I can¡¯t use violence, or make laws as I please in the National Assembly; the only means I have is to reject collusion and stand up to unfair political attacks.¡±
In the remarks, the president suggested the government did well in everything except efforts to rein in property prices and bridge the gap between the haves and have-nots. ¡°So why am I unpopular? I think it¡¯s because I make explicit, unrestrained remarks. But that¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll just focus on my responsibilities.¡± Observers note the similarity between the president¡¯s attacks on ¡°privilege¡± now and during the 2002 presidential campaign. They speculate that their aim is to polarize political factions and stir ideological conflict ahead of the presidential election next year.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
|
