Korean politicians started the New Year by doing what they were supposed to do: paying respect to the influential elders. Even though most of them are retired, they still wield “invisible” influence behind the scenes that often manifests itself as in a visible fashion later.
Former President Kim Young-sam is one of them. And as usual, he had a very busy day, receiving visits from loads of ambitious politicians and government officials, including Chung Mong-joon, the head of the Grand National Party and Oh Se-hoon, the Seoul mayor, Yohap reported on Friday.
The former president, however, used the opportunity to “reprimand” the well-wishers, expressing his discontent for something that he knew so well as an insider before.
“South Korea is now regarded as belonging to a group of developed countries. But there is one thing that is still backward.
“That’s politics,” he said.
He was specifically referring to the delay of passing the new bills on labor union and budget at the National Assembly last night. Lawmakers were bitterly divided along the party line on the new legislature until they were finally passed in the wee hours of the New Year’s Day.
“I used to think that South Korea could automatically become a democratic country after removing dictators such as Chun Doo-hwan and Park Chung-hee. I was wrong. The National Assembly was quite a scene to watch,” he said.
He continued: “The political backwardness is almost unprecedented in the world,” using the exaggeration to make his point clearly registered.
The seasoned Kim also knew that, after all, it was the New Year’s Day and he needed to end his harangue with a positive note, if possible.
Such an opportunity came when former lawmaker Han Young-ae complimented Kim by saying, “You still look great despite your old age. I am also getting old. I will 70 soon.”
In response, Kim said: “70? That’s still too young to boast about your age. That’s in fact a child’s age. You have a long way to go.”
Kim is 83.
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