The impeached Mr.Roh, the president, Mr.Roh was running for president in the Minju Party. However, after his election, he seemed to be planning many renovations and changes, some being false and impractical. For example, one of Mr.Roh's promises was that he would build a new capital in the Chung-Cheong Province, and it somehow contradicted his general principle of resolving provincial animosities. Mr.Roh won his major votes from the Chung-Cheong Province and his winning in the elections was partly because of their votes. Nevertheless, it appeared that his promises were nothing but a bluff and it was found absurd to some extent by the opposing Han-nara party. Additionally, Many of Mr.Roh's colleagues have been accused of using bribes and other illegal acts. As condemnations of his mother party compiled, Mr.Roh planned to build another party; The Yeolin-Uri party. This critical action finally separated him physically from the Minju Party and the president decided to ask the people of Korea whether he was valid as a president. Other than these unorthodox moves, Mr.Roh has accumulated a reputation of being clumsy and lavish in his speeches. He used many famous controversial phrases to defend his ground. He did not try to apologize for the corruption of his administration but tried to avoid the criticism in a sly way. To add, his failure in the labor unions and the FTA with Chile, and the NK nuclear problem made his reputation to rather nose dive. At least to the moment, the President has done almost nothing constructive, and rather has caused chaos to the country, of which the opposing party is claiming to be the reason of the impeachment.
Nevertheless, we should not impeach the president despite of these mischief. the country's state is nowadays, as the members of the opposing party speak, unstable. The country is facing the worst economic situation since 1997(i.e., the IMF era). People are committing suicide with their families and relatives, the unemployment rate of young people is rocketing. The people and the National Assembly hoped for nothing but the president, for he did promise them a future. In other words, they did nothing but complain while the not-so-bright president was working for hours. The indifference of the general public on politics has condoned not only the president's corruption, but also the opposing party's. What did the people in the National Assembly do then? Well, they were fighting and struggling for their own interest, or their party's interest. The strict hierarchy of the bureaucracy that was to be destroyed was still holding, and holding tighter than ever, and the representatives of the Assembly did not even give a slight glance to the countries' situation but fought solely for their own behalf. For instance, the terrible snow in last winter was a disaster to the farmers, but no acts or bills were passed for them. In contrast, they fought with vigor and alacrity in the impeachment case. The opposing party is now using its major seats in order to raise a president of their own, regardless of the people's opinion. How cruel, how vicious. I am half infuriated and half frustrated by the selfishness of them.
As a student in the Korean Minjok Leadership Academy, I always think about the real character of a leader. Our school is prone to produce leaders of the nation and world, and the students are striving to achieve that goal. From my contemplations, I have concluded the general virtues of a leader. They are charisma, honesty, wisdom and power. Then let me apply this rule. Usually, in the presidential elections of a democratic country, a candidate wins the office by a small amount of votes. That is, the half of the country has voted for him, while the other half has stood the opposite ground. The case holds in Mr.Roh's occasion. Then what should a true leader do after his election? He has to overcome and fuse the other half of the country, the national assembly, which requires the virtue of charisma and wisdom. His goal must not be aimed at simply winning the elections, but sacrificing and serving for the nation, his people. He must not be egocentric, but penitent and philanthropic. He must know to apologize while he knows to scold. Mr.Roh lacked those abilities, and that lack of abilities added to the lack of interest of the public let the people just sit down and watch their own representatives impeach their own president. How ironic.
I will not say what should have been done, but what should be done, for there is no use in lamenting the past, and we should boldly advance toward the future. The validity of the impeachment will later be distinguished by the Supreme Court��s decision, and that is not an important issue in my viewpoint. The real issue is that this kind of anarchy should never be repeated. The people of Korea just watched the head of their country torn apart regardless of their thoughts. There is no use of ascribing someone's fault, for it has been done all the time in the politics, and we do not need such politics that is illogical and so selfish. What should be changed is not only the president, but also the National Assembly and the public. The Assembly should be more clean, judicious, and patriotic while the public are watching with their keen eyes. Fortunately, that chance of choice is coming soon; the election of the new 17th National Assembly. I see that it is our right as well as an obligation to change the National Assembly, and furthermore the Republic of Korea, my beloved country.
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