Contributed by former managing editor of Munhwa Ilbo
The following are excerpts from an article contributed by Choi Hee-jo (former managing editor of the well-known Korean-language daily Munhwa Ilbo originally to the Korea Journalist Club (KJC) and to the Korean-language business daily (www.koreapost.co.kr) of The Korea Post. Mr. Choi and Publisher Lee Kyung-sik of The Korea Post are both regular members of the KJC.?Ed.
A good number of people in Korea today say that politicians are marring the Korean economy. Not only the opposition lawmakers but some Assemblymen of the ruling party are joining the group of politicians who do harm to the Korean economy. What they are doing to the economy today even causes one to wonder if we really ‘need’ politicians.
There are many draft lawbills on which the lawmakers have not yet taken action at the National Assembly while they are closely related to the national economy and demand an immediate action. They include the real estate-related laws that have not been passed at the Assembly due to the opposition parliamentarians who refuse to take action on them on the ground that the lawbills only reduce the tax amounts of the wealthy people.
There are so many other lawbills that require action taken by the lawmakers, including those related with the improvement of the services industry, tourism promotion, housing and improvement of the citizens’ living environment.
Economy needs a timely action taken. It brooks no delay. We should not lose time in handling lawbills, especially when they are closely related with the livelihood of the people.
Some people are talking about the need for a Constitutional revision to change or not to change the present system of government to a cabinet responsibility one. Many people that question the existence of justification in continuing the present Presidential system of government when it has much demerits?such as concentration of power on one person (the President). However, Constitutional revision can wait in favor of the more urgent economic lawbills.
Many countries of the world are making an all-out effort to revitalize their economy.
Even in France where the leftist Socialist Party is in power a conservative-oriented politician was appointed as minister of economy to reduce restrictions on the economic activities.
Japan, too, has begun taking bold actions to lower the exchange rate of the Yen to the dollar for the recovery of its economy. Korea, too, needs a similar action to improve the economy.
If we lose the economy, we will also lose our national security and welfare.