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The red-haired young woman in the painting seems to have just heard good news; the person who conveyed it to her appears to be standing right in front of her. Too happy to smile, shiny tears brim in her eyes. That, in big cartoon lines and primary colors, is "Happy Tears" by Roy Lichtenstein.
Hong Ra-hee, the wife of Samsung Group chairman Lee Kun-hee, bought the painting for US$7.15 million from a Samsung slush fund, according to Kim Yong-chul, who was head of the legal department at Samsung Reconstructing Office from 1997 until 2004. Samsung first said Hong bought the painting with her own money but now denies the purchase altogether. The truth will be revealed by the prosecution or a special counsel. But a comparison of the situation Samsung finds itself in with the subject matter of the painting is too poignant to pass up.
Few Koreans want Samsung to go down, not because they are fond of Lee Kun-hee and his family but because the national economy will be hurt. Though they think it unlikely, citizens can¡¯t help but worry what will happen to stock prices if Samsung finds itself in trouble, and about other corporations and their salaries if the economy takes a hit as a result. If Samsung sneezes, they wonder, what about the health of the country¡¯s economy as a whole?
It has ever been the last resort of conglomerates when a scandal threatens them to say, "If you punish us, the economy will suffer." The public is well aware of the trick, but is nevertheless susceptible to it. Who can help worrying about the economy? In this respect, citizens are all but hostages to the conglomerates.
By the bye, it is incomprehensible why a global business figure like Lee Kun-hee has to instruct his subordinates in person, as he is alleged to have done, to give wine to officials if they refuse cash bribes. We take pride in Samsung¡¯s global status. Does such a business have to try to bribe so many people that it mailed a W5 million (US$1=W929) cash envelope to a former presidential aide for anti-corruption affairs with a note attached that read, "Lee Yong-chul (5)"? You imagine a sort of canning factory, where these bribes roll down the conveyor belt and somebody slaps a label on them at the end.
The investigation will be concluded in several months. Thanks to public concern that Samsung must not be shaken, the group will escape the worst. How will chairman Lee greet the end of the scandal? Will he, at the good news, shed happy tears like the red-haired woman in the painting his wife may or may not have bought? That is one scene the public doesn¡¯t want to see, because it would mean nothing has changed.
The situation for voters ahead of the presidential election is much the same. Those who want a change of power from Left to Right agonize whether they will have to cast their ethical concerns to the wind and vote for the likeliest candidate, regardless of his background. And those who don¡¯t want power to change hands are resigned, saying, ¡°What use are our votes?¡± Yet a majority of them will nonetheless queue at the voting booth on Dec. 19, not because they like the opposition candidate, or the candidate who has betrayed the opposition party, or the ruling-party candidate, but because all in their own way are concerned about the country.
About 40 percent of the electorate, despite being accused by the ruling camp of becoming senile, support opposition candidates. One of them recently heard his college-age son telling him, "I've made up my mind to vote for that man. But I'm angry."
Whoever they support, too many voters feel like casting their ballots in favor of someone because they have no alternative. Someone will be elected based on these votes. How will the president-elect greet his victory on the night of Dec. 19? Will he think he has been elected on account of his wonderful ability? Will he be shedding happy tears? I hope not.
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