The Truth Finally Comes Out
I have to agree with Nomad on this one:
“I am not a successful president and I am sorry to the people about this. I think it’s due to my lack of political capacity.”
It took 4 years, a sagging economy, the slow motion rupture of the US-ROK alliance, North Korean missile and nuclear tests, a spy scandal, and a 5.7% approval rating before South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun has finally admitted the obvious, he is a failure.
Now since he has admitted he is a failure let’s see if he will make any course corrections over the last year of his presidency like holding the North Koreans accountable for anything, strengthening the US-ROK alliance by helping to complete the USFK relocation that has been delayed by North Korean sponsored anti-US groups, and completing the Free Trade Agreement with the US. If he is able to do those three thing over the next year he could earn some respect for his presidency in the long term though currently he is quite possibly the worst president in the short Korean presidential history.
One small note of disagreement, but only about the third thing you think he should do. Acocuntability for DPRK and strengthening the US-Korean alliance are good ideas, but I don't know about blanket endorsement of FTA with the US.
What I've read suggests that the FTA that exists in North America (NAFTA) hasn't actually had much tangible effect in improving the lives of Canadians. Our relative income has dropped, if you adjust for inflation, and this is despite major increases in productivity and even working hours. This is only according to a couple of sources, and only one on hand — John Ralston Saul's Reflections of a Siamese Twin, a book about Canadian history, culture, and politics.
The rest of your post, I have no major objection to. But I doubt Roh will actually change his tune. That's such a dangerous thing to actually do, in politics, and risky. I suspect he'll leave those tasks to his successor, if he even conceives of them as necessary.
Also, you link to Nomad isn't a link to Nomad at all. You might wanna fix that. 🙂
Gordsellar, thanks the link is fixed. I think the USFK relocation to Camp Humphreys will be completed but possibly a year late due to the amount of construction that still needs to be done. As far as changing course on his North Korea policies, like you I don't see Roh changing his tune. He is a die hard supporter of giving North Korea all the free aid they want despite their bad behavior. The FTA I think is will be beneficial to the Korean side in the long run when people can go shopping and by food for half the price they are paying now. As far as being beneficial to the US I think it would be if the Koreans wouldn't play the games they are playing now with US beef. If they can keep sectors of their economy closed with tactics such as they are using with US beef than the US could be a loser by signing the FTA.