ed Opposition party platform
Draft guideline is idealistic, undiplomatic
The new opposition party is to be more progressive than the Democratic Party under the Roh Moo-hyun administration. Its draft platforms have a few controversial codes that may raise eyebrows of even its traditional supporters.
Before the launch of the merged party on Jan. 15, the platforms will be undergoing further refinement.
Its devotion to economic democratization and universal welfare is timely. Its purported denuclearized security policy needs further refinement. It is unclear whether it will reject the U.S. nuclear umbrella even at a time when North Korea has been stockpiling nuclear weapons. It needs clarification on tools for encouraging North Korea to scrap its nuclear armaments.
It emphasizes the rethinking of the blind pursuit of globalization which it believes has made society divisive, tensional and unjust. Its reassessment of the pro-free trade agreement (FTA) policy goes against the times.
It espouses a people-oriented democratic country and people-oriented economic policy. Its respect for the sovereignty of the people and popular aspirations for justice is justifiable. But its eulogy of the candlelight protests against American beef imports in 2008 comes from misguided information.
Drafters of the platform have yet to decide whether to delete such phrases as a law-abiding country, the market economy and competitiveness.
It is a welcome development that the opposition camp seeks to embrace as many fresh figures as possible in its outreach program. It should be principled in its grand opposition alliance. Drawing a clear line is necessary against forces denying democratic principles and capitalism. It would be anachronistic for the party to include radicals who resort to the detonation of a tear gas canister at the recent National Assembly vote on the Korea-U.S. FTA.
Its diplomatic initiative should not show any indication of the withdrawal of U.S. forces from the Korean Peninsula and the disbandment of the Korea-U.S. alliance. Former President Kim Dae-jung, an icon of the Democratic Party, suggested the presence of the U.S. forces in Korea even after reunification. North Korean leader Kim Jong-il also agreed on this in the inter-Korean summit in 2000.
The new opposition should make clear its respect for the Constitution stipulating the Republic of Korea is a country governed by law. It should also abide by the market economy. Its platforms should not include so many anti-codes such as anti-chaebol, anti-American and anti-rich.
Missing is the anti-polarization code. Its platforms should include ways of reducing social, economic and ideological polarization in Korea. The party would find public appeal when it adopts a market-friendly approach to solving the ills of a polarized society. Its all-inclusive welfare policy would be populism without fiscal prudence. It is advisable for the party to inherit Kim Dae-jung’s productive welfare program.
The opposition could receive wide support only if its platforms are commonsensical, responsible, inclusive and predictable. Its idealism should have roots in cold realism.