Eradication of deep rooted evils

By Park Moo-jong

A little unknown term is in vogue in the political world since presidential frontrunner Moon Jae-in from the opposition Democratic Party of Korea mentioned it as his prime election pledge last month.

The term, not that familiar to the people so far, is "jeokpye (deep-rooted evils or evils of long standing) "cheongsan (eradication or liquidation).

Most presidential hopefuls and their followers of the opposition bloc say of the term on every occasion like a new political syndrome.

Moon claimed that deep-rooted evils of the bygone days must be rooted out to reconstruct the nation for a new world where the people can live a happy life.

The leader in every presidential public poll defines corruption, irregularities, bad (administrative) practices as targets to be stamped out. What a great idea for a better society in the days to come!

Unfortunately, however, Moon condemns the ruling party members as the top subject for the eradication of deep-rooted evils, claiming that he cannot go with them together (in rebuilding the nation).

In contrast, South Chungcheong Province Gov. An Hee-jung, who is Moon's archrival in the DPK, calls for a grand coalition to embrace the ruling Liberty Korea Party in order to eradicate deep-rooted evils.

Of course, Moon's side and other DPK presidential contenders flatly rejected An's idea because the ruling party is not a partner to work with but the evil to be eradicated first for being responsible for the current political turmoil following the ouster of President Park Geun-hye.

According to Korean dictionary, "jeokpye" is "pyedan (evil)" that has been accumulated for a long time or has been deep-rooted. And pyedan signifies the absence or opposite of that which is as being good as a unrighteous tendency or harmful phenomenon that takes place in certain work or action.

What's the objective standard for not being right? Depending on the angle of viewing a social phenomenon or incident, the judgment must differ.

Even a good phenomenon shall be harmful to us, if it is against our interests.

The tragedy of impeached and then dismissed President Park began with her stubborn goal to eradicate deep-rooted evils of the previous left-wing governments and openly made a blacklist of cultural figures.

While in office for four years, she considered the parliament and political parties as the hotbed of deep-rooted evils and attacked those who opposed her even in the ruling camp, condemning them as betrayers.

Such a biased governance philosophy of the former President finally boomeranged to her and the nation's tragedy. It is dreadful that Park supporters call her a martyr who suffered a defeated while fighting against evils of long-standing of the left-wing government.

In this sense, it is not desirable for the opposition forces to set the eradication of deep-rooted evils of the other kind as their prime goal to win the upcoming presidential election to be held May 9.

The opposition forces should acknowledge that it was not just Park who was impeached, but politics and politicians as well. Ruling party members must be blamed for not acting as check against Park's wrongdoings, of course. But the opposition forces are also responsible for not doing more than raising criticism and questions.

A serious problem is that the politicians, irrespective of their political affiliation, do now know what the "real" deep-rooted evil is. Really many people think that the parliament is one of the gravest evils.

Of course, the National Assembly is not a sort to be rooted out, but to be reformed drastically as a "necessary evil."

When most people think about the National Assembly and lawmakers, such negative terms as corruption, partisan strife and political interests only come to mind.

Before "vowing" to eradicate deep-rooted evils of the past, Moon should have promised the people that he would make every efforts to root out evils of the National Assembly.

I wonder whether he was listening to the public voice: "We are really sick of the National Assembly and the lawmakers. Do we need such an Assembly at such astronomical cost.

Every person I met and asked about the Assembly and its members "agreed" that the nation has too many lawmakers (now numbering 300) and they have too many privileges, not to speak of their allowances paid by the people's tax.

Moon should have also pledged that he would do his utmost, first of all, to get rid of deep-rooted evils of the opposition camp highlighted by the opposition for the sake of opposition.

British rock band Byrds sing in the last phrase of their 1962 song (composed by Pete Seeger) "Turn! Turn! Turn!:"A time of love, a time of hate; A time of war, a time of peace; A time you may embrace; A time to refrain from embracing."

Although there is a time to refrain from embracing, Moon is obliged to embrace his opponents now for the unity of the divided people. Moon needs to take a lesson from King Solomon who wrote the lyrics (except for the last line: "there is a time to refrain from embracing") adapted from the Book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible.

Park Moo-jong is The Korea Times advisor. He served as the president-publisher of the nation's first English newspaper founded in 1951 from 2004 to 2014 after he worked as a reporter of the daily since 1974. He can be reached at moojong@ktimes com or emjei20@gmail.com.