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As if by agreement, the presidential candidates of the greater ruling camp have declared war on Grand National Party presidential candidate Lee Myung-bak over ¡°values¡± -- an apparent bid to avoid the term ¡°ideology.¡± But terminology aside, they are portraying it as a battle between Left and Right, competition vs. equality. Lee's camp countered the offensive by saying it was a question of ¡°pragmatism¡± and the progressive group's arguments are a false ideological contest.
United New Democratic Party presidential candidate Chung Dong-young attacked Lee¡¯s economic policies as ¡°jungle capitalism¡± where the weak fall prey to the strong. Chung accused Lee of seeking a society where the wealthy 20 percent prosper at the expense of the poor 80 percent. A Lee aide said ¡°the battle of values¡± has just begun.
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Grand National Party presidential candidate Lee Myung-bak visits Korea Culinary Arts Science High School in Siheung, Gyeonggi Province on Wednesday afternoon. He made seafood spaghetti after cooking with students for about half an hour.
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Moon Kook-hyun, a presidential contender and former chief executive of Yuhan Kimberly, said, "In the muddy waters of the political arena ready for presidential election campaign, a debate about values has started between my own theory of a human-centered real economy and candidate Lee Myung-bak's corrupt fake economy designed for the privileged. Lee's idea is tainted by his disdain and lack of concern for the less privileged."
Kwon Young-ghil, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Labor Party, said Lee ¡°is attempting to snatch empty bowls and purses from low-income people. I propose that the entire progressive camp form a value coalition to compete with the conservative group."
The Democratic Party¡¯s Rhee In-je called the GNP a ¡°reactionary¡± group but had no further harsh words for Lee's values.
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United New Democratic Party presidential candidate Chung Dong-young visits the Kaesong Industrial Complex on Wednesday, where he sews a garment at an underwear factory.
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Lee on Wednesday said, "Our party is a political party thoroughly dedicated to low-income people, small and medium-sized enterprises, and self-employed businessmen." He dismissed the attacks, saying the last decade had seen ¡°polarization¡± as a result of government rhetoric. ¡°The people are wise enough to make their own judgment, no matter how flowery terms they are using by citing this or that plausible numerical expression, be it 5 percent or 20 percent,¡± he said referring to Chung¡¯s allegation.
GNP spokesman Park Hyung-joon said Chung and others ¡°are only waving their fists in the air while creating an imaginary enemy. Please stop using the old-fashioned dichotomies from your long-ago days as student activists and start a practical policy debate on how to improve people¡¯s lives."
Chung Doo-un, a senior member of the GNP's strategic planning office, said the ruling camp ¡°harassed low-income people although they have claimed otherwise. By working hard and pragmatically, we¡¯ll show that Lee is the only candidate who will work for low-income people."
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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