The Blue House is repeatedly expressing strong dissatisfaction with the National Election Commission's decision on President Roh's violation of the electoral neutrality rule. On June 7, Cheong Wa Dae wasted no time in rebuffing a similar _ formally the second _ warning. This time, his aides seem to have burnt more of the midnight oil to strike back at the NEC's conclusion. Naturally, that was the only difference between then and now. There were few signs of self-reflection.
One might have felt the presidential office changed its minds with such expressions as ``it was the decision to expand and strengthen the NEC's authority'' and ``the President is ready to respect the electoral body's decision.''
At the end of the day, however, Roh's real sentiments can be found in later responses, in which his men said, ``Summing up, the decision calls for the President to zip up,'' and ``From now on, the President will have to win the approval of the NEC whenever he says anything.'' It is really disappointing the President and his aides have so distorted views about what it means to respect the law.
The NEC has issued no fewer than ``three'' warnings against the chief executive's violation of the law that calls for all government employees to maintain electoral neutrality, but has failed to request the controversial leader to ``relinquish all political rights'' of the President. It just asked Roh to refrain from using such expressions as ``It is horrible to think of the Grand National Party taking power'' or ``Lee Myong-bak's tax cuts would cripple the welfare system of this country.''
Still, Roh's aides are just busy making sarcastic remarks on the NEC's
decision that their boss violated the election law, making a frontal attack on the rule of law.
It makes one really wonder how the President and his men have come to feel so right and square while making a straight out violation of laws and despising a national outcry about such acts.
Roh seems to think the NEC's decision is so unimportant that he can neglect it, or he has become ``immune'' to political criticism. Or he knows too well there are no legal penalties on ``violating electoral neutrality'' and the President is free of all prosecutorial accusation except for impeachment while in office.
Unless the incumbent president would be remembered as a leader who ``destroyed law and order,'' Roh _ a lawyer-turned-politician _ and his aides should humbly accept the NEC's decision and reflect on how this country's legal system has become so miserable and an object of ridicule.