Professors Demand No Rollback on Democracy
By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter
For the first time in more than five years, professors are moving to issue a statement to press for furthering democracy.
About 100 professors of Seoul National University will issue a joint statement today to denounce the Lee Myung-bak administration for what they call backtracking on democratic rights.
They will urge the Lee administration to change the framework of its policies as ``democracy has reached a point where it cannot become worse.'' They condemned the administration's ``excessive suppression of the media and the oppression of public voices.''
It is the first such announcement in five years since they publicly opposed a lawmakers move to impeach former President Roh Moo-hyun in 2004.
It was quite common during the authoritarian Park Chung-hee and Chun Doo-hwan administrations in the 1970s and early 1980s for professors, opinion leaders and religious leaders to press for democracy.
The announcement will mainly be a request to the government to ``respect full democracy,'' including permission for public political gatherings and guaranteeing the ``independence of the press from political or chaebol'' influence.
Prof. Lee Joon-ho noted that the Lee administration has been indifferent about pressing the issues necessary for national harmony.
``During the past liberal administrations of Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun, we enjoyed freedom of expression. But we don't anymore,'' he said. ``Of course it is a bit of a scary situation. The prosecution has even hauled away critical TV program directors. Now we can no longer tolerate the arbitrary questioning,'' Lee said.
Lee says that the present administration needs to make changes to its policies that may run counter to a fuller democracy.
Police blocked Seoul Plaza to prevent illegal gatherings and have torn down memorial alter to the late former President Roh installed in central Seoul, a move which drew immense public criticism.
The professor said there are more professors critical of the administration's policy on democracy and human rights. ``Even some conservative people told me that it is the time to make some changes,'' he said.
Professors at other universities are likely to issue the same statement to press the government not to backpedal on the country's hard fought-for democracy.