Political Corruption in US, Korea

By Choi Yearn-hong

Washington ― Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was impeached by the Illinois Senate for his attempted selling of the U.S. Senate seat which was vacated by Barack Obama who moved to the White House.

Very quickly, he was impeached and removed from the office by a 59 to 0 vote. He is also going to face federal charges of political corruption soon. He is politically finished in this cold winter. Strange to say, his nominee, a black male lawyer and former attorney general of Illinois, has been seated in the U.S. Senate.

The governor's power of appointment to the vacated congressional seat has been discretionary. Each state constitution authorizes the governor to fill the position under certain circumstances.

Under the state constitutional rule, the governor fills the vacant position with the spouse or sibling of a deceased or incapacitated politician. State officials manage all federal elections under state laws. That is a product of American federalism based on U.S. constitutional law.

The 2008 presidential election outcome left two vacant seats in the U.S. Senate after Obama became president and Joseph Biden the vice president. So the governors of Illinois and Delaware had to appoint two people to the open positions.

Even under normal circumstances, gubernatorial appointments to the Senate are undemocratic and subject to abuse. At times, Senate seats have been treated as abuse.

When then-Senator Frank Murkowski became governor of Alaska in 2002, he used his new power to appoint his daughter to complete his term. She won an election in her own right in 2004.

In Delaware, the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Vice President Biden has been given to a former staffer who, it is reportedly understood, will clear out in time to allow Biden's son to run for a full term.

There is fevered speculation that New York Gov. David Paterson could tap Caroline Kennedy to replace Senator Hillary Clinton who has become the secretary of state. At the last moment, Kennedy withdrew her name for consideration.

Now, there is a movement to change this state law to limit or restrain the governor's discretionary power. The best reform would be a replacement by a special election. The problem is the cost. The second best way is to elect the senator or representative from the state legislature with the governor's consent.

The Illinois political corruption case reminds me of Korean political corruption. Korean politics has sustained corruption for so long. In recent years, primary elections have been installed.

Before the primary elections, the party bosses nominated or appointed all the candidates from their political parties to the National Assembly seats and provincial and local government officials' seats, including governors and mayors.

Those who sought political office must have offered sizable amounts of money to their party boss. The bosses were the three Kims in the 1960s to 1990s: Kim Dae-jung, Kim Young-sam and Kim Jong-pil, who long controlled their regional political grounds: Jeolla Province, Gyeongsang Province and Chungcheong Province respectively.

It was quite certain that they used the political money to operate their parties, but a sizable amount went into their pockets. One of the three is known for a wealth that is comparable to a business tycoon, according to the grapevine.

I also have been curious of how Korean politicians coming to the United States for exile managed their livelihood. In the 1980s, Kim Dae-jung enjoyed a relatively wealthy life during his time in Washington.

During his exile, Nguen Cao Ky, South Vietnam's leader and air force general, was working in a liquor store. Kim and Ky were very contrasting men then. At the present time, Lee Jae-oh and Chung Dong-young are two prominent politicians in exile in the United States.

I don't know how much money they brought from Korea. Are there generous donors to support their exile? Why? Are they wealthy people? If they are, how did they get their fortune? Did they inherit from millionaire parents?

The South Korean economy is the world's 13th largest. So money is flowing from company executives to the politicians who still have the chance of capturing future political power.

Is that the case? I do not know. The exiled politicians are known as research staff of university think-tanks or visiting scholar. However, I have not seen any Korean politician who could perform as a qualified researcher or a qualified lecturer in American universities. They are not paid at all.

They don't have teaching or research ability. Rather, they usually pay money to the university or the research institute with which they are affiliated for honorary titles. So I am curious. Who financed them? Who is financing the two prominent politicians in exile at this moment?

An investigation of the cost of exile will be interesting, because it will end up with potential political corruption. I bet many Korean citizens are as curious about their financial condition as I am.

Korean newspapers enjoy freedom of expression. If the National Assembly cannot investigate, then why don't they investigate this gold or silver-mine that is so far unexplored? Is Korean political corruption located in a sacred zone?

One of Kim Dae-jung's sons owned a mansion in California. He did not have a job. He was taking business or first-class seats in airplanes from Korea to California. Who financed his living in the United States? One former Korean politician tried to explore this secret minefield, but did not succeed.

Freedom of the press is abundant. Even an arrested doomsayer blogger, better known as Minerva, is defended by generous lawyers under freedom of expression.

Why does Korean political corruption exist in an untouchable land? I don't know the answer. Please let me know, if anyone knows the answer.

Illinois Gov. Blagojevich attempted to sell a Senate seat. He was quickly impeached and removed. Such an impeachment process of the governor may be a gross injustice under Korean laws and regulations.

Dr. Choi is a retired college professor after his long teaching career in the United States and Korea.