Opposition should be clear on key issues
The first opposition Democratic United Party has backpedalled on two key campaign issues — the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement (FTA) and the construction of a naval base on Jeju island. The apparent softening of its stance is both reassuring and confusing. The opposition must be clear in its public message.
DUP Chairwoman Han Myeong-sook said Monday Seoul would renegotiate the FTA with Washington once the party takes power. She did not say anything about abandoning it, however.
She has changed stance three times. She first advocated abrogating the FTA in a protest rally at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul. Later she tied discarding it to the failure of renegotiations.
The former prime minister under the liberal Roh Moo-hyun administration also toned down her opposition to the naval base on Jeju. She said she does not oppose the need for building the base and said it is necessary for national security. However, she criticized the Lee Myung-bak administration for disregarding democratic procedure before constructing it. She said the government should take into account opposition from Jeju residents. Her statement is also a delicate hedging of words.
A KBS poll Monday shows that supporters outnumber opponents on the construction of the naval base by a wide margin. On the FTA, opinion is divided although supporters outnumber opponents by a razor-thin margin.
The opposition leader should watch her words. She should not sit on the fence trying to kill multiple birds with one stone. Her party will be unable to catch even a single bird if it throws its stones in the wrong direction.
Her Monday statements need additional clarification to help voters better understand the party’s position ahead of the two crucial elections this year. The bottom line is whether the party favors or backs the two crucial issues.
The DUP faces public scrutiny as it accommodates radical platforms, including the abolition of the National Security Law, of the splinter progressive party.
Where’s Han logic when she switches positions? And she should apologize for eating her words. She should bear in mind the lessons she is leaving for her grandchildren and what they will learn from her.
She has eroded the party’s support base as her frequent change of stance has projected a sense of instability. Voters will not be surprised if she shifts positions again in the future.
She should know how many voters have deserted her party as a result of her frequent flip-flopping at least on the two crucial issues. Her attitude smacks of demagoguery.
There is a high possibility of the opposition taking power this year. Winning the elections is crucial but maintaining consistency and predictability in key platforms is equally vital. The party does not exist only for the elections this year.
It must project its true identity and the party’s leaders should be honest and have philosophical insight.
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