In my opinion Kim Young-sam never got the credit he deserved for his time as Korean President. First of all he was able to punish the past military dictators by charging with treason and putting them on trial before ultimately pardoning them which arguably maintained national unity. He also got stuck with the task of handling the Asian Financial Crisis and accepting the bail out loan from the International Monetary Fund. Both of these issues were widely unpopular, but history has shown that the way Kim Young-sam handled them was correct and hopefully with his passing people will better remember the great things he accomplished as President:
Kim Young-sam
The nation – political supporters and detractors alike – mourned the death of former President Kim Young-sam, an icon of Korea’s democracy movement, who passed away Sunday at age 87.
Kim died at 12:21 a.m. at Seoul National University Hospital after suffering from septicemia, or severe blood infection, and acute heart failure, hospital chief Oh Byung-Hee said in a press briefing.
He had been hospitalized since Thursday with a high fever.
Kim was previously hospitalized for 18 months from April 2013 to October 2014 for stroke and pneumonia.
A native of Geoje Island in South Gyeongsang, Kim served as the first elected civilian president of Korea from 1993 to 1998, following decades of military rule.
Former leaders of the country and current politicians flocked to the former president’s wake at SNU Hospital in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Sunday, to grieve his passing and recall his legacy of helping to build a more democratic nation.
Former Prime Minister Kim Jong-pil – who was at times a rival and at times an ally to President Kim- arrived at the wake in a wheelchair. “He will forever be remembered in the hearts of the people as a leader of convictions,” he said. [Joong Ang Ilbo]
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon would definitely have the highest profile of any of the ROK Presidential candidates if he did decide to run:
Ban Ki-moon
Speculation of U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s presidential bid in South Korea has resurfaced after news reports on his possible visit to North Korea.
Ban’s spokesman said earlier this week that discussions are under way regarding a constructive role he might play in the Korean Peninsula situation and that talks are under way to set up what would be the secretary general’s first visit to the North.
Ban, a former South Korean foreign minister, has been voted as one of the most popular possible contenders, though he has disavowed rumors that he has interest in running in the 2017 presidential election.
He has repeatedly said he is not interested in South Korean politics, noting that he wants to spend time taking care of his grandchildren after his retirement. [The Korea Times]
There would be no politicians left in the US if spreading false information during a campaign ever became a crime like it is in Seoul:
The post of Seoul education superintendent, one of the most powerful educational positions in the country, might be vacated for the third time since direct elections were introduced for the post in 2008.
On Thursday night, the Seoul Central District Court sentenced Seoul Superintendent Cho Hee-yeon to pay a 5 million won ($4,640) fine for spreading false information about one of his rivals, Koh Seung-duk, during the election campaign last year. If the ruling is upheld in the Supreme Court, he will be kicked out of his job.
Cho claimed that Koh was a permanent resident of the United States, which wasn’t true.
“Superintendent Cho did not fully check the facts about Koh’s permanent residency in the United States when he held a press conference about it,” said the judge panel. “Given that Cho mentioned the issue again even after Koh released an explanation, Cho’s action was clearly the spreading of false information.”
Under local educational law, a candidate who intentionally disseminates false information about a rival can be fined 5 million to 30 million won or sent to prison for up to seven years. An education superintendent who is fined 1 million won or more or sentenced to any time in jail loses his job. [Joong Ang Ilbo]
You can read the rest at the link, but could you imagine the money that could be raised by this law in the US in just the US Presidential election cycle?
It is going to be hard for President Park to launch an anti-corruption campaign in the wake of the Sewol ferry boat tragedy when the people around her that are supposed to implement it are all taking bribes if the allegations are true:
Sung, the chairman of Keangnam Enterprises, died in an apparent suicide after leaving the list.
Although President Park ordered the prosecution to conduct a thorough investigation into the graft scandal, Sunday, Cheong Wa Dae has refrained from commenting on the issue.
In a bid to fight corruption, she vowed again Thursday that anyone who is found to be involved in any illicit activities will face the consequences without exception.
Park’s biggest political hurdle would appear to be the besieged prime minister, because Lee is leading the government’s ambitious anti-corruption campaign.
The Kyunghyang Shinmun, which interviewed Sung hours before his death, reported Tuesday that the businessman said he had given Lee 30 million won ($27,000) during the 2013 by-elections, when Lee ran for a parliamentary seat representing Buyeo, South Chungcheong Province.
Park has set her sights on fighting graft as part of strengthening her control because the April 16, 2014 sinking of the ferry Sewol, which hit her administration hard, was blamed on collusive ties between ferry operators, regulators and politicians.
In addition, Park’s plans to reform the debt-heavy pension system for civil servants and the stiff labor market are also expected to hit a snag amid intensifying political attacks from opposition parties. The processing of economy-related bills pending before the National Assembly is also not on the cards in the short-term. [Korea Times]
You can read the rest at the link, but I don’t understand why the Korean politicians don’t just legalize bribery and just call it campaign contributions like how the US political system works.
Jasmine Lee is the first non-Korean member of the National Assembly in South Korea and the Korea Herald has an interview with her published that discusses some of her views:
When the governing Saenuri Party picked Jasmine Lee to serve as a lawmaker in April 2012, hate groups attacked her as a “dark-skinned” foreigner posing as a Korean.
Saenuri officials hoped Lee would encourage “diversity” in a dominantly homogenous, and sometimes xenophobic South Korea, to better represent naturalized citizens, foreign laborers, and other minorities in the National Assembly.
She has done her best to meet the expectations, Lee said in an interview with The Korea Herald earlier this month, but the country has a long way to go.
“There has never been a multicultural society in South Korea,” she said. “So officials here don’t know exactly how to support such families here.” [Korea Herald]
Here is what she had to say about mixed race males serving in the ROK military:
South Korea’s Constitution obligates physically and psychologically fit men to serve 21 months in the armed forces. But the military did not accept “multicultural” men until 2011, as officials thought they would lack the social skills to mingle with others in their unit.
Lee has a son with her late Korean husband, who is likely to enter the military sometime next year. She said incorporating men from multicultural families was a step in the right direction.
“A Justice Ministry official once suggested that ‘multicultural’ servicemen serve in segregated units,” Lee said.
“I asked the official if those multicultural men would fight separately from other units if a war broke out. He said no.”
Is this really the best that the ruling Korean government can provide for a Prime Minister nominee? A guy who is accused of intimidating journalists, avoiding active military service, and plagiarizing his thesis?
President Park Geun-hye’s pick for prime minister came under fire from opposition lawmakers Tuesday as they accused him of controlling the freedom of the press and lying in order to avoid active military service.
Lee Wan-koo, a former floor leader of Park’s ruling Saenuri Party, has been under pressure to withdraw his name from consideration for the country’s No. 2 political job following allegations he exerted influence on the media to stop them from carrying negative reports about him.
He also allegedly suggested at a recent lunch with reporters that he could influence personnel reshuffles at media companies.
His reported comments have sparked national outrage in a country where people fought past military-backed governments to gain press freedom.
“I apologize a hundred times,” Lee said during a confirmation hearing at the National Assembly. “I apologize once again to the relevant members of the press and the press in general for my inappropriate behavior, and I am deeply remorseful.”
Rep. Kim Gyeong-hyeop of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD) raised fresh allegations that Lee threatened to make a phone call to editors if a reporter published negative articles about him. (…………………)
During the hearing, Rep. Jin Sun-mee of NPAD accused the nominee of lying in order to avoid active military service.
Lee completed his mandatory military service in reservist duty after being diagnosed with a syndrome that can lead to flat feet.
Rep. Jin claimed, however, that Lee was deemed fit for active service following his first physical exam in 1971 and only later reclassified according to the results of an additional physical exam he took in 1975.
She also raised suspicions that the nominee could have used his power to alter the results of the latter exam after having passed the prestigious state civil service exam a year earlier.
Lee held up several X-ray photos which he said showed the condition of his leg in 1964, 1975 and as recently as 2009. He declined, however, to comment on the first physical exam he took in 1971.
The nominee is also accused of speculating in real estate, plagiarizing his doctoral thesis and intentionally omitting parts of his annual wealth report.
He acknowledged that his thesis did not meet the strict ethical standards of today when it comes to citations, but argued that he still wrote the paper independently using his own data and analytical methods. [Yonhap]
You can read more at the link, but President Park must view this guy as a real loyalist to put him up as a nominee despite all the baggage he brings.
President Park is continuing the trend of Korean Presidents quickly becoming unpopular with the public after they do not live up to their promises:
President Park Geun-hye’s approval rating has gone down to 30 percent, the lowest since she took office on Feb. 25, 2013, according to a survey released Friday.
The record low rate appears to have been prompted by the fiasco involving the government’s new tax settlement scheme coupled with Park’s no-compromise stance, experts said.
Gallup Korea conducted a poll of 1,001 adults between Tuesday and Thursday, which shows Park’s rating at 30 percent, down from 35 percent the previous week.
Respondents who negatively evaluated Park’s management of state affairs reached 60 percent, up from 55 percent. Among them, 17 percent accused Park of poor communications, while 15 percent cited the possible tax boost amid lingering controversy over the bungled tax policy.
“Last week’s falling popularity could be attributed to her New Year speech that only showed a gap between her perception and public expectations,” Gallop said in its statement. “The continuous decrease this week can be attributable to furious employees over income tax.”
More than 15 million employees are upset over a possibly increased amount of tax payment in their year-end tax filings, despite the government’s explanation that only high-income earners would have to pay more tax.
It was noted that a considerable number of those aged over 50, Park’s main support base, seem to have withdrawn their support.
The results show that only 38 percent of those over 50 still support the daughter of late President Park Chung-hee, while her over-60 supporters was reduced to 53 percent from 62 percent. [Korea Times]
You can read the rest at the link, but I think this is the backlash from making campaign promises to get elected and then having to deal with reality when in power. A perfect example of this is the promise not to raise taxes, but the government found a back door way to take people’s money without raising taxes by instead eliminating deductions.
Yoo Sang-bum, a senior prosecutor at the Seoul District Prosecutors’ Office, announces the outcome of an investigation into a controversial presidential document on Jan. 5, 2014. The prosecution conluded that the document alleging a former aide to President Park Geun-hye tried to exert undue influence on state affairs was fabricated by a senior police officer. (Yonhap)
A presidential document claiming a former aide to President Park Geun-hye tried to exert undue influence on state affairs was fabricated by a senior police officer, prosecutors said Monday.
The document centers around allegations that Jeong Yun-hoe, who was President Park’s adviser before she was elected, pulled strings to try and replace the president’s current chief of staff, Kim Ki-choon.
Announcing the interim outcome of their probe, investigators at the Seoul District Prosecutors’ Office said that they have concluded that Supt. Park Kwan-cheon authored and leaked the document.
The document was then handed over to the president’s younger brother, Ji-man, who is also the chairman of EG Group, an electronic materials producer, under the orders of former presidential secretary Cho Eung-cheon.
Cho was indicted on charges of leaking confidential information, and violating the Presidential Records Management Act, prosecutors said. [Yonhap]
You can read more at the link, but considering how this document was intended to take out Jeong Yun-hoe it is pretty clear that he must have been still providing advice to the President which others around Park must not have liked.
Something I really like about Korean political leaders is how much they focus on setting quantifiable goals to improve their economy:
President Park Geun-hye started off her New Year’s address wishing all Koreans a healthy and happy 2015, in the Year of the Sheep. She said her top priority over the coming year was reinvigorating the economy.
“The government will endeavor to change the fundamentals of the economy so that it is centered on creativity and innovation, ushering in an era of $40,000 per capita GDP.”
President Park also addressed national security matters, promising to open an era of unification for the two Koreas.
“I will work to put an end to the 70-year-long division by building up trust with North Korea and urging change. The government will establish substantial and specific groundwork to achieve unification.”
She also promised to root-out irregularities in society to make Korea a safer place to live.
President Park said due to the spirit of the Korean people, she was confidant that Korea would be able to overcome any difficulty or challenge in the new year. [Arirang News]
When was the last time you heard prominent American politicians set quantifiable economic goals like this? And even if they did how many Americans even know what per capita GDP is?
