By Kim Yon-se
Staff Reporter
President Roh Moo-hyun Friday criticized the National Election Commission (NEC), the main opposition Grand National Party (GNP) and the media for blocking him from conducting state affairs normally.
His remarks came at a speech after he was awarded an honorary doctorate in politics by Wonkwang University in North Jeolla Province.
In particular, Roh said he cannot accept the NEC's ruling on Thursday that he violated the law because he failed to maintain his political neutrality, arguing that the cited clauses of the Election Law are ``unconstitutional.''
``Though I cannot run for the presidency again, there is an obligation to achieve another democratic government via cutthroat competition (with the main opposition party),'' he said. ``How can the president keep politically neutral?''
He complained that a variety of ``powers that be,'' including the opposition party and the media, are not cooperative, he said. ``It is unfair to urge me not to protect myself. It is certain that the best defense is to attack.''
But public opinion is not on Roh's side. According to a YTN poll, 61.4 percent of respondents said they support the ruling of the NEC.
The NEC Thursday urged Roh to respect the Election Law. But the commission neither issued a warning nor indicated it would take legal action against him.
The opposition GNP filed the complaint with the NEC against Roh for his controversial comments before 1,000 supporters over the weekend that it would be ``horrific'' to see what would happen if the party won the Dec. 19 presidential election.
Wonkwang University, which conferred Roh an honorary doctorate in politics, said his contribution to the country's democracy and human rights development is noteworthy.
The university said Roh has established a new presidential image with his ``humble attitude'' and contributed to upgrading political culture by opposing regionalism and authoritarianism.
Roh received an honorary doctorate in politics from Moscow University in November 2004 and another from Algiers University in March 2006, but he had not received a degree from a domestic university.
Wonkwang University had previously conferred honorary doctorates in politics on former presidents Kim Young-sam and Kim Dae-jung.