Ideological Tug-of-War Divides Society
By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter
An ideological tug of war has been escalating following the suicide of former President Roh Moo-hyun and the police blockade of Seoul Plaza against anti-government rallies, putting liberals against conservatives.
Liberal groups have issued a series of statements criticizing President Lee for turning the clock back to the authoritarian era of two decades ago, which are being countered by conservative groups.
The ideological clash might be attributable to a change in people's political orientation. According to a Korea Times-Hankook Ilbo survey, 28 percent of respondents described themselves as liberals, up 3.1 percentage points from 2002, while 27.2 percent said they were conservatives, down by 7.2 percentage points. Almost 39 percent said they were moderates, similar to 2002's 38.6 percent.
Soongsil University professor Kang Won-taek said the current social trouble is not an ideological dispute but popular dissatisfaction with the way President Lee is running the administration.
``Ideological conflict exists at all times, and it is a matter of which side the moderates sympathize with. Now, it seems moderates lean toward liberals,'' he said.
``Surveys show that about 70 percent of people are unhappy with Lee's governing style that lacks communication with and infringes on civic freedoms. Such dissatisfaction is not only from liberals but also many more, although liberals may express more discontent. The problem can be solved through a change in Lee's governing style,'' Kang said.
Jon Huer, professor at the University of Maryland, also called for a change in the administration, saying that President Lee has little party-based support and is equally weak with the public. ``He needs vision, bold and far-reaching, and to overcome his emotional reluctance to reach out, as a man and as the President.''
He said, ``The conservative-liberal conflict in Korea seems to have less to do with ideology and more to do with emotion and personality. The camps cannot easily compromise because of the lack of a give-and-take tradition or a behind-the-scene networking among leaders.''
Michael Breen, chairman of Insight Communications Consultants, said the separation of liberals from conservatives is natural in a democracy. ``Both groups have their origins in poverty and victimhood and both appear to favor a large measure of government control and intervention than might be acceptable in other democracies.''
He said despite extreme claims from the far-left and the far-right, the overwhelming majority are loyal to a democratic Korea. ``The solution is to accept the concept of the loyal opposition ― for each side to accept that. Social and political leaders could do more to smooth differences by strengthening the rule of law as an objective arbiter,'' Breen said.
Some 90 professors at Dongguk University issued a statement Tuesday to demand the government apologize for its misadministration. ``The government suppresses people's right to live and freedom of expression. We urge the Cabinet members to resign,'' they said.
More than 400 professors nationwide, including some from Pusan National, Chungnam National, Konkuk and Kyung Hee universities, also said that democracy and human rights have been reversed. They urged the government to guarantee peaceful demonstrations.
Student councils, the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, and Writers Association of Korea joined the move, while a group of 33 Christian pastors also exhorted President Lee to be more attentive to national unity.
A group of Buddhist monks of Jogye Order said, ``More than 5 million mourners for the late Roh mourned over not only his death but also the death of the nation's democracy.'' It said the government is aggravating social conflict by supporting a specific class, region and religion.
But conservatives hit back against these moves.
About 130 professors from 63 universities in Seoul said that in the situation of an economic slump and North Korea's nuclear threats, such statements will only bring confusion to and divisions in society.
``In past cases such as the June 10 democracy movement in 1987, scholars all agreed to the need to protest the authoritarian regime, but it is different this time,'' they said.
About 40 conservative civic groups also denounced liberal professors for damaging the foundation of law-abiding. ``The nation needs a strong leadership to cope with the North's nuclear threat. The government's efforts to boost economy are now bearing fruit and it needs the people's support. They advised the police to be tough against illegal, violent rallies.