Cheonan issue enters regional election campaigns

Posted on : 2010-05-22 13:51 KST Modified on : 2019-10-19 20:29 KST
Both opposition and ruling parties have used the issue to strengthen their party’s perceived competence in national security issues
 May 22.
May 22.

Ruling and opposition parties have taken different approaches in the lead-up to the regional elections following a joint civilian-military fact-finding team’s announcement Thursday of its investigation finding that a North Korean torpedo was responsible for sinking the Cheonan. The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) has been pouring fuel on the fire of a public trial of the Lee Myung-bak administration’s national security incompetence, while the ruling Grand National Party (GNP) has been urging an end to political strife.

The DP was initially put on the defensive by the ruling party and conservative media, led by the Lee Myung-bak administration, and their push to make war heroes of the lost Cheonan sailors and implicate North Korea in the sinking. In the wake of the incident, the DP has moved into an all-out offensive on the “conservative administration’s natural security incompetence” since the fact-finding team’s announcement. The party is now calling for an apology from the president and reprimands for those responsible for the security failure.


The message the DP is attempting to communicate to voters is that the ruling government, after taking a hit due to its failure to respond properly, has now been attempting to use the Cheonan issue in the election.

“GNP Chairman Chung Mong-joon has been issuing a torrent of absurd remarks claiming that the DP must be held responsible for the Cheonan incident,” said the DP’s election countermeasures committee spokeswoman Kim Yoo-jung. “Some have said that the greatest contribution in the Cheonan situation came from the paired trawlers, and so now is the time for a paired judgment of the Lee Myung-bak administration’s national security incompetence and economic incompetence in the June 2 regional elections.”

The DP is also contrasting problem areas in the Lee administration’s hardline North Korean policy with the peace management capabilities seen during the Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun administrations.

“The root cause of this incident lies in the fact that the West Sea, which had been heading toward becoming a sea of peace over the ten years prior to this administration, has now devolved into a sea of tension, antagonism and hatred,” said DP election countermeasures commission co-chairman Chung Dong-young Friday. “The fundamental solution is the building of a peace regime on the Korean Peninsula.”

The main reasons behind the the DP’s response are the conclusions that the Cheonan incident cannot not lead to the type of “North Korea effect” that has swayed elections in the past, and that it could help the opposition if the Lee administration’s security incompetence becomes enough of an issue.

“The conservatives will be amassing their forces, but on the other hand, there could also be more people coming out to the polls from the opposition’s support base from the threat of the large number of conservative voters,” said Kim Seong-ho, spokesman for the election countermeasures committee for Incheon mayoral candidate Song Young-gil. “The Cheonan incident is not entirely advantageous for the ruling party.”

Meanwhile, the attitude in the GNP is that the national security issue must not be turned into an election issue.

“It is unfortunate to see that even though it has come to light that this was clearly North Korea’s doing, there are still politicians going on about our government’s national security incompetence and about reprimands, without a word of criticism about North Korea,” said GNP floor leader Kim Moo-sung, speaking with reporters Friday. “Politicians need to speak in one voice and make a resolute response together to North Korea’s unacceptable provocation.”

“The military should certain take responsibility for neglecting the possibility of a submersible attack and allowing a torpedo hit to occur,” Kim also said. “However, any reprimands should wait until after seeing the findings of the Board of Audit and Inspection’s Cheonan investigation.
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The GNP, which has already faced accusations of using the sinking of the Cheonan in the local elections, is now urging opposition parties to “end the political strife,” arguing that national security and the election need to be kept separate.

“There has been internal discussion to the effect that even if the party takes a stern response to North Korea, it should refrain from criticizing the opposition parties,” said a core GNP official. “This cautious approach from the GNP stems from the determination that it could face a backlash if it attempts to exploit the Cheonan disaster.”

However, there are also indications of attempts to make active use of the incident in the elections.

“The Democratic Party and leftists, who have made a number of remarks that seem to stand up for North Korea, protect it and defend it, are people who should be taking as much of the responsibility as North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-il,’’said GNP Chairman Chung during a radio interview Friday.

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]

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