ED Fury over 'vendetta'
Anticorruption drive is to usher in just society
The Moon Jae-in administration’s commitment to rooting out deeply-entrenched corruption has triggered a strong backlash from former President Lee Myung-bak who described the anticorruption drive as political retaliation. Whatever the reason, it is unfortunate to see Moon and Lee clash head-on over the issue.
Lee started the episode Wednesday by denouncing the government for arresting or questioning his former aides over graft allegations. He said that while the prosecution called the investigations against them a means to “eradicate deep-rooted evils,” the probes were in reality a political maneuver to destroy conservatives.
Regrettably, Lee went too far in denigrating the ongoing anticorruption campaign as political retaliation for former President Roh Moo-hyun’s death. He certainly believes President Moon is targeting him because Roh committed suicide in 2009 after his retirement amid an investigation over a graft scandal. Moon was the presidential chief of staff for Roh who was president for five years from 2003.
Lee has drawn the ire of Moon by framing the war on corruption as a vendetta for Roh’s death. Through a presidential spokesman Thursday, Moon expressed his fury at Lee for claiming that the presidential office was pulling the prosecution’s strings for political revenge. He said Lee’s remarks were tantamount to an insult to the government and a denial of the legal system.
The tit for tat between the current and former presidents reminds the people of the country’s history of purges of retired heads of state and politicians by new governments. Former President Chun Doo-hwan went into self-imposed exile at Baekdamsa, a remote temple on Mt. Sorak, for about two years after he retired in 1988, to avoid legal action for alleged corruption and other wrongdoings. However, he and his successor Roh Tae-woo were arrested in 1995 on charges of bribery and treason for taking power after the bloody suppression of the May 18, 1980, Gwangju uprising against the military junta.
Lee must have tried to strike a chord with his sympathizers and conservatives who question the real intention of the liberal President Moon’s fight against “accumulated evils.” If that is right, he should be blamed for attempting to undercut Moon. He should no longer keep mum on his alleged involvement in corruption cases, including the acceptance of bribes from the National Intelligence Service and the creation of a slush fund through auto parts supplier DAS.
The elimination of deep-rooted evils has been the top priority of President Moon following his election last May after his predecessor Park Geun-hye was impeached over a massive corruption scandal involving her confidant Choi Soon-sil. This is not for personal revenge or a political ploy to remove enemies. Instead, it is a campaign to sweep away the bad legacy of the past and usher in a fair and just society.
Therefore, the prosecution should concentrate on shedding light on wrongdoings and abuse of power by the previous administrations in a fair and objective way. Koreans often say, “Condemn the offense, but not the perpetrator.” This may mean zero tolerance to crimes while stressing the importance of forgiving and reconciliation.
If history is any guide, Korean politics lacks not only the principle of no tolerance, but also the spirit of reconciliation. It remains to be seen whether President Moon can change this and bring new politics to the country.