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By Kim
Rahn
A group of students at a Busan college were unable to vote in Wednesday’s election as the student leader of their department applied for absentee voting under their names without their consent and so the ballots were discarded. The Busan Metropolitan City Election Commission said Thursday it is investigating the case that took place at Pukyong National University’s Image Science and Engineering Department. According to the commission, students of the department received a text message from the unidentified leader at 4:52 p.m. on Monday. The message said: “To have a station for the absentee vote set up on the campus, I applied for the vote by using your names at my own discretion. The ballot papers were delivered to the department’s administration office, but staff there said they dumped the papers. So you became unable to vote. I apologize for applying without your consent and making you unable to participate in the vote.” On April 5 and 6 before the voting day, the commission set up the polling station on the campus as more than 2,000 students applied for the absentee vote. The student leader earlier asked the commission to send the ballot papers to the department office. Absentee voters cast their ballots at designated polling stations with the specially-designed ballot papers. Even if they fail to vote on the absentee voting dates, they can still vote if they bring the papers to the stations of their region on election day. But if they lose the ballot paper, they can’t vote at all, as their right to vote is regarded as being annulled. Some students who didn’t receive the text message found this out on Wednesday when they went to the polling station in their region to vote. It is said the number of such “victims” reached 250 in the whole school. A commission official said they usually check the signatures of an absentee voting application to see if they were forged, but it seems they failed to find the fabrication. “We will investigate the case with police to find out how many names the student leader abused and how many students actually were unable to vote,” the official said. Meanwhile, unsealed ballot boxes were found in Gangnam B district, and there was an argument on whether to count the ballots in the total of 27 boxes. The counting process was suspended for three hours until the district election commission decided to include them as valid votes and counted them. As ruling Saenuri Party candidate Kim Jong-hoon won, the rival candidate Chung Dong-young of the Democratic United Party raised suspicions on the fabrication of the ballots in the boxes. |
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Friday, April 13, 2012
Absentee ballots lost on campus
Left-wing alliance a double-edged sword for main opposition
The alliance of the main opposition Democratic United Party and
the minority Unified Progressive Party proved partially effective in Wednesday’s
parliamentary elections, but its limits were revealed as well.
Political pundits generally say that the alliance to unify candidates to raise the parties’ winning chances acted in favor of the UPP rather than the DUP, though it was ironically the DUP which initiated the bond in an attempt to beat the ruling majority party and become the largest party in the parliament.
The liberal parties largely benefited from their alliance back in the 2010 local elections and last year’s Seoul mayoral election by unifying their candidates to avoid splitting the left-wing vote.
Encouraged by such successes, they once again agreed to unite before moving onto election campaigns for this year’s political races.
In Seoul and its vicinity, their collaboration took effect, especially in those districts where liberal runners ran a tight race up to the last minute.
The liberal bloc won a total of 32 seats in 48 constituencies in Seoul, including strategic areas such as Jongno and Youngdeungpo-B. For the strategic areas, the bloc nominated candidates without primaries.
Of them, two seats were taken by UPP figures, Roh Hoe-chan in Nowon-C and Lee Sang-kyu in Gwanak-B.
Lee’s victory may especially be attributed to the DUP’s withdrawal of its candidate to field a single runner, as the district has long been a firm stronghold for the party.
The two parties, however, could not avoid criticism that they politically united just for the sake of election victory, though they had little in common in terms of policy.
Also, their alliance stirred a sense of crisis in the conservative bloc that paradoxically resulted in uniting its support prior to the elections.
Nevertheless, the minority UPP had little to lose as it has become the third-largest party of the next parliament, though it failed to win 20 seats nationwide, which is the minimum requirement in order to establish a floor negotiation unit.
It was the DUP which has come to doubt the actual benefits of the bond.
In an attempt to befriend the far-left UPP, the DUP has taken several progressive turns in its major policies, which eventually blurred its political identity, observers noted.
This, too, disappointed the voters in the traditional rural areas in Gangwon and Chungcheong provinces, where the ruling camp achieved above expectations, they said.
“The Saenuri Party accused us of being pro-communist and their accusations worked in the center-left spectrum,” said a party official.
“The alliance is a major reason why we failed to attract the moderate swing voters.”
The DUP was also hit by the allegations that aides to UPP leader Lee Jung-hee manipulated public poll results during the primary race. Though Lee resigned, the disputes disclosed the inter-party feuds hidden under the name of unity.
It is not likely, however, that the two liberal parties will easily break their hard-reached bond prior to the presidential election slated for December.
The DUP won 127 parliamentary seats in total, including 11 proportional representative ones, and failed to reclaim its past position as the parliament’s No. 1 party.
At least for now, it needs to keep an alliance with the UPP, which won a total of 13 seats, in order to stand close to equal with the leading Saenuri Party, which took 152 seats.
By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldm.com)
Political pundits generally say that the alliance to unify candidates to raise the parties’ winning chances acted in favor of the UPP rather than the DUP, though it was ironically the DUP which initiated the bond in an attempt to beat the ruling majority party and become the largest party in the parliament.
The liberal parties largely benefited from their alliance back in the 2010 local elections and last year’s Seoul mayoral election by unifying their candidates to avoid splitting the left-wing vote.
Encouraged by such successes, they once again agreed to unite before moving onto election campaigns for this year’s political races.
In Seoul and its vicinity, their collaboration took effect, especially in those districts where liberal runners ran a tight race up to the last minute.
The liberal bloc won a total of 32 seats in 48 constituencies in Seoul, including strategic areas such as Jongno and Youngdeungpo-B. For the strategic areas, the bloc nominated candidates without primaries.
Of them, two seats were taken by UPP figures, Roh Hoe-chan in Nowon-C and Lee Sang-kyu in Gwanak-B.
Lee’s victory may especially be attributed to the DUP’s withdrawal of its candidate to field a single runner, as the district has long been a firm stronghold for the party.
The two parties, however, could not avoid criticism that they politically united just for the sake of election victory, though they had little in common in terms of policy.
Also, their alliance stirred a sense of crisis in the conservative bloc that paradoxically resulted in uniting its support prior to the elections.
Nevertheless, the minority UPP had little to lose as it has become the third-largest party of the next parliament, though it failed to win 20 seats nationwide, which is the minimum requirement in order to establish a floor negotiation unit.
It was the DUP which has come to doubt the actual benefits of the bond.
In an attempt to befriend the far-left UPP, the DUP has taken several progressive turns in its major policies, which eventually blurred its political identity, observers noted.
This, too, disappointed the voters in the traditional rural areas in Gangwon and Chungcheong provinces, where the ruling camp achieved above expectations, they said.
“The Saenuri Party accused us of being pro-communist and their accusations worked in the center-left spectrum,” said a party official.
“The alliance is a major reason why we failed to attract the moderate swing voters.”
The DUP was also hit by the allegations that aides to UPP leader Lee Jung-hee manipulated public poll results during the primary race. Though Lee resigned, the disputes disclosed the inter-party feuds hidden under the name of unity.
It is not likely, however, that the two liberal parties will easily break their hard-reached bond prior to the presidential election slated for December.
The DUP won 127 parliamentary seats in total, including 11 proportional representative ones, and failed to reclaim its past position as the parliament’s No. 1 party.
At least for now, it needs to keep an alliance with the UPP, which won a total of 13 seats, in order to stand close to equal with the leading Saenuri Party, which took 152 seats.
By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldm.com)
Conservatives win ― for now
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Liberals ought to grasp meaning of voters’
verdict
The ruling Saenuri Party won an easier-than-expected victory, and its de facto leader Park Geun-hye proved her nickname ``election queen” was right, once again. But what made analysts call the conservative governing party’s clinging to a bare majority in the National Assembly elections Wednesday a ``stunning upset” was the opposition’s failure to capitalize politically on the dismal performance of the Lee Myung-bak administration. Some opposition leaders would like to regard the just-ended poll as a duel of campaign heads ― between Rep. Park, a likely presidential candidate, and Han Myeong-sook, virtual caretaker of the main opposition Democratic United Party (DUP). The match between fighters of different weights may be one reason, but hardly the main one. Nor is it desirable to analyze the election results from the aspect of campaign strategy alone. Of course, Park was shrewd enough to distance herself from the unpopular President Lee, blunting the opposition’s slogan of ``Let’s judge Lee.” Her approach to traditional swing provinces of Chungcheong and Gangwon, probably in advance of her presidential electioneering in December, was also a game-changing factor. Yet the single-most decisive factor was Park’s slogan of ``politics for the future, not the past.” True, the motto was abstract devoid of any specific, plausible details. But so were most of the campaign pledges of the opposition alliance composed of the DUP and more leftists Unified Progressive Party (UPP). Liberals might have thought the conservative leader’s refrain rather ironic, as her views on political and economic democratization couldn’t deviate far from those of her father and political mentor, ex-President Park Chung-hee, at their roots. Still the liberal alliance must have forgotten that elections should move beyond ideological warfare toward presenting realistic hope for change, preferably in detail but at least through slogans. The DUP’s bold but mistaken nomination of some radical, free-talking candidates also backfired less because parliamentary jobs require at least a modicum of dignity than because it appeared to voters that the opposition parties were resorting to ideological avant-gardes instead of concrete promises to change their hard lives. Park, who had been the politician closest to presidency for the past nine years or so, should be thinking her dream will finally come true this year. There is a caveat, though. Considering Park and her Saenuri aides changed the gloomy predictions in just four months, eight months is a long enough period to make political commentators fools not just once, but twice in Korea’s volatile politics. There are too many variables to say for sure now. Such as President Lee’s misjudgment the outcome of a carte blanche to push ahead with what he has been doing, and Park’s failure or complacency to check him. The only way forward for the opposition is to come up with less radical, less past-oriented and more futuristic and detailed policies and programs to reassure weary voters. And hope the voter turnout ― which still remained at a lamentable rate of 54 percent compared with the OECD average of 70 percent ― to sharply increase by then. Like life, politics is full of ups and downs, a blessing in disguise |
Monday, April 9, 2012
Corrupt and incompetent
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Tragedy casts doubt on role of
police
Victim: Please help me. I’m being raped by a stranger. It is the attacker’s house located between the public ground and elementary school. … Please hurry! Police: Are you really saying that you’re being raped? … Can you give us more details about the location again? … Do you know who he is? … Please give us the address one more time. Could anyone believe this kind of conversation went on for nearly two minutes between a police dispatcher and a woman in the face of an impending rape-murder crime? Yet that’s exactly what happened in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, last Sunday. Police kept listening to the 28-year-old woman’s cries and begging for an additional six minutes or so before a Chinese-Korean in his early-40s killed her. It was 13 hours later that police found the suspect’s house and saw him dismember the corpse in an attempt to dispose of it unnoticed. Provincial officers said they searched the area immediately upon receiving the report but had difficulties in conducting warrantless searches of private homes and doing it quietly so as not to provoke the killer. It was astonishing they still could find words for an excuse. The problems this tragic crime shows are too clear to miss. First, the police, especially its dispatching service, are poor and ineffective. Only one-fifth of about 1,400 dispatchers undergo just two weeks of training. Compared this with the New York Police Department’s eight-week-long training, during which the participants must master more than 500 different crime situations. Second, the sloppy search reflects their carelessness about people’s lives and safety. One joked they could have found her in a few minutes had someone reported she were a candlelit protestor against the government. Third, and most egregious, was their attempt to cover up their mistakes by manipulating records. Police said the phone conversation lasted only dozens of seconds and her description of location was too vague. Recorded talks show the opposite was true. Admittedly, the police are understaffed: they are too busy fighting with the prosecution over investigative authority, receiving bribes from the owners of hostess bars, and cracking down on various anti-government protesters and demonstrators. So the poor woman had to die just because she brushed shoulders with a psychopath without knowing it, and was born in a country where police have more urgent businesses than protecting innocent citizens. Her final words to the murderer in the records were ``Please sir, I was in the wrong.” Was she asking to be forgiven for reporting to the police ― in vain? |
Ahn hints at supporting opposition in polls
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Ahn Cheol-soo, an IT mogul-turned-professor, released a video promoting participation in the April 11 general elections on Youtube Monday. “At 4 p.m. Ahn uploaded a message urging voters to cast ballots for the April 11 elections via Youtube,” said an official from Ahn Lab, the country’s biggest anti-virus software firm said in a telephone interview with Yonhap News Agency. Ahn canceled a planned lecture at Busan National University on Monday, in view of a possible misinterpretation of his political ambition, ahead of the National Assembly elections. The move came as Ahn cleared up misunderstandings regarding his visits to Busan, that he might be involved in political fight over the Nakdong River Belt. Instead Ahn emphasized the necessity of citizens to exercise their voting rights. “The voters must make decisions on account of candidates who legitimately care about acting on behalf of national interest and the people, rather than the ones who are drawn by political interests and ideology,” said Ahn during his lectures in Chonnam National University and Kyungpook National University last week. Meanwhile, Ahn also appeared in the second TV promotion of the main opposition Democratic United Party (DUP), holding hands with Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon. according to an official from DUP. The writer is a Korea Times intern | |
| jungyoonful |
Podcast star’s controversy could sway vote outcome
An opposition candidate taking flak for foul language has
emerged as a key variable in the upcoming parliamentary race, political watchers
said Saturday.
Kim Yong-min, a candidate for the Democratic United Party (DUP), who made a series of vile sexual remarks and derogatory comments to senior citizens, has come under increasing pressure to step down after it was found that he attacked South Korea’s Christian churches.
The candidate, who is running for a parliamentary seat in Seoul’s Nowon district, apologized for his remarks made in the mid-2000s, but the clips of his remarks posted on YouTube have drawn considerable attention and public outcry.
Kim, the son of a pastor, said the local protestant church is nothing more than a criminal organization and should be eradicated.
South Korea’s Christians make up just over a quarter of the population and can influence the outcome of tight elections.
He predicted that regardless of who takes power, the church will collapse.
The outspoken critic and co-host of a political satire program “Naneun Ggomsuda” also conceded that he called for terrorists attacks against the United States, and suggested the release of a notorious serial killer to murder former U.S. President George W. Bush, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Kim also suggested that national TV should air pornography to deal with the country’s low birthrate, and removal of escalators and elevators from Seoul City Hall subway station to keep conservative seniors from gathering there to protest liberal policies.
The ruling Saenuri Party, which is fighting an uphill battle in the race, has lashed out at Kim and called on him to resign. The conservative party said if he does not, the DUP should make its position clear on the candidate.
Church groups have demanded Kim withdrawal and attacked the opposition for picking such a “substandard” candidate.
The DUP insiders said they are aware of the potential impact of keeping Kim on, but have been slow to take steps for fear of alienating young supporters who are fans of “Naneun Ggomsuda” and still want the candidate to run for the Nowon seat.
Kim’s campaign office said that because of the inflow of support, there will be no stepping down, and pledged to do more to meet the expectations of the people.
Independent political analysts said the controversy surrounding Kim may be an important factor in the elections slated for Wednesday.
“It will probably not turn the views of people who have already decided to vote in favor of a particular party, but it could influence those who are undecided,” a pundit following the election process said.
Of the 246 district seats up for grabs, 100 are expected to be close races. In addition to the district seats, there are 54 proportional seats divided according to the popularity of parties.
He speculated that the debate surrounding Kim could be just as volatile as fallout from the incumbent administration’s unlawful surveillance of civilians.
Meanwhile, with the critical poll just around the corner, leaders from Saenuri and DUP campaigned across the country to win votes.
Saenuri interim leader and presidential hopeful Park Geun-hye visited Geoje, 470 kilometers southeast of Seoul, and lashed out as the opposition’s unreliability and failure to put the interests of the country first.
She told a crowd that if the DUP and its partner the Unified Progressive Party control a majority in the National Assembly, they will try to nullify the free trade agreement with the United States and stop the building of a naval base on Jeju Island.
“Both endeavors were first pursued by the previous administration that was made up of members from the present day DUP,” Park said.
The DUP, on the other hand, blasted Saenuri for trying to fool voters by claiming they were a different party from the Grand National Party (GNP), which lost the people’s trust after mismanaging the country. The GNP changed its name to Saenuri on Feb. 2.
“The outcome of the votes will determine whether South Korea enters a stage of moving forward or regression,” said Han Myeong-sook, chairwoman of the DUP. She said if the opposition prevails, a new era for the people will be able to flourish.
(Yonhap News)
Kim Yong-min, a candidate for the Democratic United Party (DUP), who made a series of vile sexual remarks and derogatory comments to senior citizens, has come under increasing pressure to step down after it was found that he attacked South Korea’s Christian churches.
The candidate, who is running for a parliamentary seat in Seoul’s Nowon district, apologized for his remarks made in the mid-2000s, but the clips of his remarks posted on YouTube have drawn considerable attention and public outcry.
Kim, the son of a pastor, said the local protestant church is nothing more than a criminal organization and should be eradicated.
South Korea’s Christians make up just over a quarter of the population and can influence the outcome of tight elections.
He predicted that regardless of who takes power, the church will collapse.
The outspoken critic and co-host of a political satire program “Naneun Ggomsuda” also conceded that he called for terrorists attacks against the United States, and suggested the release of a notorious serial killer to murder former U.S. President George W. Bush, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Kim also suggested that national TV should air pornography to deal with the country’s low birthrate, and removal of escalators and elevators from Seoul City Hall subway station to keep conservative seniors from gathering there to protest liberal policies.
 |
| Kim Yong-min (third from left), a candidate for the Democratic United Party, at his election campaign office in northern Seoul on March 25 (Yonhap News) |
The ruling Saenuri Party, which is fighting an uphill battle in the race, has lashed out at Kim and called on him to resign. The conservative party said if he does not, the DUP should make its position clear on the candidate.
Church groups have demanded Kim withdrawal and attacked the opposition for picking such a “substandard” candidate.
The DUP insiders said they are aware of the potential impact of keeping Kim on, but have been slow to take steps for fear of alienating young supporters who are fans of “Naneun Ggomsuda” and still want the candidate to run for the Nowon seat.
Kim’s campaign office said that because of the inflow of support, there will be no stepping down, and pledged to do more to meet the expectations of the people.
Independent political analysts said the controversy surrounding Kim may be an important factor in the elections slated for Wednesday.
“It will probably not turn the views of people who have already decided to vote in favor of a particular party, but it could influence those who are undecided,” a pundit following the election process said.
Of the 246 district seats up for grabs, 100 are expected to be close races. In addition to the district seats, there are 54 proportional seats divided according to the popularity of parties.
He speculated that the debate surrounding Kim could be just as volatile as fallout from the incumbent administration’s unlawful surveillance of civilians.
Meanwhile, with the critical poll just around the corner, leaders from Saenuri and DUP campaigned across the country to win votes.
Saenuri interim leader and presidential hopeful Park Geun-hye visited Geoje, 470 kilometers southeast of Seoul, and lashed out as the opposition’s unreliability and failure to put the interests of the country first.
She told a crowd that if the DUP and its partner the Unified Progressive Party control a majority in the National Assembly, they will try to nullify the free trade agreement with the United States and stop the building of a naval base on Jeju Island.
“Both endeavors were first pursued by the previous administration that was made up of members from the present day DUP,” Park said.
The DUP, on the other hand, blasted Saenuri for trying to fool voters by claiming they were a different party from the Grand National Party (GNP), which lost the people’s trust after mismanaging the country. The GNP changed its name to Saenuri on Feb. 2.
“The outcome of the votes will determine whether South Korea enters a stage of moving forward or regression,” said Han Myeong-sook, chairwoman of the DUP. She said if the opposition prevails, a new era for the people will be able to flourish.
(Yonhap News)
Saenuri lawmakers bashed for 'vulgar' play
The Democratic United Party has blasted Saenuri Party officials over a
“vulgar” satirical play staged eight years ago in a counterattack to the ruling
party’s recent criticism of an outspoken DUP candidate.
Ahead of Wednesday’s parliamentary elections, the Saenuri Party and conservative media have been escalating their offensive against DUP nominee Kim Yong-min over past sexist and anti-establishment remarks.
The liberal party on Friday pointed to a video clip of a play titled “Hwansaeng Gyeongje (Resurrecting the Economy),” in which Saenuri lawmakers and officials heaped insults on then-President Roh Moo-hyun.
“The Saenuri Party has been acting as though vulgar remarks on the Internet by a young man eight years ago will ruin the country. But did they offer a single word of apology over a vulgar play that was ‘broadcasted’ all over the country?” DUP spokesperson Park Yong-jin said Sunday.
On Friday, DUP Supreme Council member Moon Seung-keun posted the video clip on his Twitter account. Professor Cho Kisuk of Ewha Womans University, a former press aide to Roh, demanded that Saenuri lawmakers who appeared in the play resign.
The controversial play was performed in 2004 by members of the then-main opposition Grand National Party --¡¡formerly the Saenuri Party.
Its main character Nogari, played by Rep. Joo Ho-young, is thought to represent Roh. The resemblance is made clear by his use of Roh’s catch phrases and sardonic references to Roh’s key policies such as the new administrative city of Sejong and inter-Korean reconciliation.
Throughout the play, Nogari is portrayed as an incompetent, ill-tempered person who is responsible for the death of his son Gyeongje –- which means “economy” in Korean. The play bombards Nogari with vulgar and sexist remarks.
A friend of Nogari’s wife Geunae –- who resembles Saenuri Party leader Park Geun-hye -– tells her that Nogari “does not deserve to have (male reproductive organs) dangling on him” and suggests that she should leave him and demand his sex organs in a divorce.
The friend, played by Rep. Park Sun-ja, says he should be mercilessly executed, and nearly every character showers him with profanities.
The play also ridicules people that resisted authoritarian leaders. A character played by Rep. Chung Doo-un says he became a democratic activist just by urinating on President Chun Doo-hwan’s picture.
In the last scene of the play, the god of death promises to bring Gyeongje back to life in exchange for Nogari’s life three years later.
Since Roh had three years left in his term as president at the time, this was widely interpreted as suggesting that Roh should be ousted to invigorate the economy.
Upon its release, the play was fiercely criticized by the Roh administration “for ridiculing the head of state with such preposterous and abusive words.”
By Yoon Min-sik (minsikyoon@heraldm.com)
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| A scene from the play "Hwansaeng Gyeongje" (Image grab from a Youtube video) |
Ahead of Wednesday’s parliamentary elections, the Saenuri Party and conservative media have been escalating their offensive against DUP nominee Kim Yong-min over past sexist and anti-establishment remarks.
The liberal party on Friday pointed to a video clip of a play titled “Hwansaeng Gyeongje (Resurrecting the Economy),” in which Saenuri lawmakers and officials heaped insults on then-President Roh Moo-hyun.
“The Saenuri Party has been acting as though vulgar remarks on the Internet by a young man eight years ago will ruin the country. But did they offer a single word of apology over a vulgar play that was ‘broadcasted’ all over the country?” DUP spokesperson Park Yong-jin said Sunday.
On Friday, DUP Supreme Council member Moon Seung-keun posted the video clip on his Twitter account. Professor Cho Kisuk of Ewha Womans University, a former press aide to Roh, demanded that Saenuri lawmakers who appeared in the play resign.
The controversial play was performed in 2004 by members of the then-main opposition Grand National Party --¡¡formerly the Saenuri Party.
Its main character Nogari, played by Rep. Joo Ho-young, is thought to represent Roh. The resemblance is made clear by his use of Roh’s catch phrases and sardonic references to Roh’s key policies such as the new administrative city of Sejong and inter-Korean reconciliation.
Throughout the play, Nogari is portrayed as an incompetent, ill-tempered person who is responsible for the death of his son Gyeongje –- which means “economy” in Korean. The play bombards Nogari with vulgar and sexist remarks.
A friend of Nogari’s wife Geunae –- who resembles Saenuri Party leader Park Geun-hye -– tells her that Nogari “does not deserve to have (male reproductive organs) dangling on him” and suggests that she should leave him and demand his sex organs in a divorce.
The friend, played by Rep. Park Sun-ja, says he should be mercilessly executed, and nearly every character showers him with profanities.
The play also ridicules people that resisted authoritarian leaders. A character played by Rep. Chung Doo-un says he became a democratic activist just by urinating on President Chun Doo-hwan’s picture.
In the last scene of the play, the god of death promises to bring Gyeongje back to life in exchange for Nogari’s life three years later.
Since Roh had three years left in his term as president at the time, this was widely interpreted as suggesting that Roh should be ousted to invigorate the economy.
Upon its release, the play was fiercely criticized by the Roh administration “for ridiculing the head of state with such preposterous and abusive words.”
By Yoon Min-sik (minsikyoon@heraldm.com)
<관련 한글 기사>
막말 비난하던 여당, 막말연극 논란에 곤혹
민주통합당 김용민 후보가 과거 인터넷 방송에서 한 막말을 두고 “후보자질 부족” 등 맹비난을 퍼붓던 새누리당의 전현직 의원들이 과거에 공연했던 “막말연극”을 두고 비난여론이 일고 있다.
민주통합당은 박용진 대변인은 8일 과거 새누리당의 전신인 한나라당 의원들이 “환생경제”라는 연극에서 사용했던 욕설과 성적인 비하발언 등을 두고 “현직 대통령에게 저질 막말을 쏟아냈던 새누리당”이라고 비판했다.
박 대변인은 “새누리당은 지난 며칠 동안 8년 전 인터넷 방송에서 했던 한 젊은이의 막말에 대해 나라가 망할 것처럼 난리법석을 피웠다”며 "그런데 똑같이 8년 전 공중파 방송을 통해 온 나라에 중계되고 알려졌던 이른바 '환생경제' 연극 막말에 대해 한 마디라도 사과를 했느냐"고 지적했다.
민주통합당의 문성근 최고의원은 자신의 트위터 계정에 연극의 영상의 링크를 실었으며, 노무현 정부에서 홍보수석비서관을 지난 이화여대 조기숙 교수는 이 일과 관련된 모든 새누리당 의원들의 사임을 요구했다.
2004년에 공연된 이 연극의 주인공 노가리는 무능력하고 부정적인 성격의 소유자로 그 아들 경제의 죽음에 가장 큰 책임이 있는 인물이다.
새누리당 주호영 의원이 분한 이 인물은 노무현 전 대통령이 사용해 유명해진 “이쯤가면 막가자는 거죠?”란 말과 세종시 이전, 남북회담 등을 패러디해서 언급한 것으로 보아 노 전 대통령을 그린 것으로 보인다.
극중 인물들은 노가리를 향해 성적인 표현을 포함한 욕설을 마구 퍼붓는다.
박순자 의원이 분한 노가리의 아내 “근애”의 친구 “부녀회장”은 노가리를 더러 “(남성 생식기)를 달고 있을 자격도 없는” 인물이며 노가리가 잔혹하게 처형당해야 한다는 말을 거친 욕설을 통해 표현한다. 이혜훈 의원이 분한 근애는 박근혜 새누리당 비상대책위원장을 패러디한 것으로 보인다.
연극에서는 노 전 대통령뿐만 아니라 과거 군사정권에 항거했던 인물들에 대한 비하표현도 있다. 정두언 의원이 연기했던 “번데기”란 극중인물은 자신이 전두환 전 대통령의 사진에 소변을 봤을 뿐인데 민주투사가 됐다며 자랑하듯 말한다.
마지막 장면에서는 저승사자가 나타나 아들 경제를 살려주는 대가로, 노가리의 목숨을 3년 뒤에 가져가겠다고 선언한다. 이는 당시 임기가 3년 남았던 노 전 대통령이 자리에서 물러나야 경제가 살아난다는 의미로 해석된다.
당시 열린우리당과 청와대는 연극에 대해 제1야당이 국가수반을 터무니없고 모욕적인 단어로 비하한다며 강하게 비판했다.
막말 비난하던 여당, 막말연극 논란에 곤혹
민주통합당 김용민 후보가 과거 인터넷 방송에서 한 막말을 두고 “후보자질 부족” 등 맹비난을 퍼붓던 새누리당의 전현직 의원들이 과거에 공연했던 “막말연극”을 두고 비난여론이 일고 있다.
민주통합당은 박용진 대변인은 8일 과거 새누리당의 전신인 한나라당 의원들이 “환생경제”라는 연극에서 사용했던 욕설과 성적인 비하발언 등을 두고 “현직 대통령에게 저질 막말을 쏟아냈던 새누리당”이라고 비판했다.
박 대변인은 “새누리당은 지난 며칠 동안 8년 전 인터넷 방송에서 했던 한 젊은이의 막말에 대해 나라가 망할 것처럼 난리법석을 피웠다”며 "그런데 똑같이 8년 전 공중파 방송을 통해 온 나라에 중계되고 알려졌던 이른바 '환생경제' 연극 막말에 대해 한 마디라도 사과를 했느냐"고 지적했다.
민주통합당의 문성근 최고의원은 자신의 트위터 계정에 연극의 영상의 링크를 실었으며, 노무현 정부에서 홍보수석비서관을 지난 이화여대 조기숙 교수는 이 일과 관련된 모든 새누리당 의원들의 사임을 요구했다.
2004년에 공연된 이 연극의 주인공 노가리는 무능력하고 부정적인 성격의 소유자로 그 아들 경제의 죽음에 가장 큰 책임이 있는 인물이다.
새누리당 주호영 의원이 분한 이 인물은 노무현 전 대통령이 사용해 유명해진 “이쯤가면 막가자는 거죠?”란 말과 세종시 이전, 남북회담 등을 패러디해서 언급한 것으로 보아 노 전 대통령을 그린 것으로 보인다.
극중 인물들은 노가리를 향해 성적인 표현을 포함한 욕설을 마구 퍼붓는다.
박순자 의원이 분한 노가리의 아내 “근애”의 친구 “부녀회장”은 노가리를 더러 “(남성 생식기)를 달고 있을 자격도 없는” 인물이며 노가리가 잔혹하게 처형당해야 한다는 말을 거친 욕설을 통해 표현한다. 이혜훈 의원이 분한 근애는 박근혜 새누리당 비상대책위원장을 패러디한 것으로 보인다.
연극에서는 노 전 대통령뿐만 아니라 과거 군사정권에 항거했던 인물들에 대한 비하표현도 있다. 정두언 의원이 연기했던 “번데기”란 극중인물은 자신이 전두환 전 대통령의 사진에 소변을 봤을 뿐인데 민주투사가 됐다며 자랑하듯 말한다.
마지막 장면에서는 저승사자가 나타나 아들 경제를 살려주는 대가로, 노가리의 목숨을 3년 뒤에 가져가겠다고 선언한다. 이는 당시 임기가 3년 남았던 노 전 대통령이 자리에서 물러나야 경제가 살아난다는 의미로 해석된다.
당시 열린우리당과 청와대는 연극에 대해 제1야당이 국가수반을 터무니없고 모욕적인 단어로 비하한다며 강하게 비판했다.
Police head quits over murder case
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The national police chief offered to resign Monday after officers came under fire for mishandling a recent murder case. “I deeply apologize,” National Police Agency Commissioner General Cho Hyun-oh said during a news conference, saying he felt responsibility for the police’s failure to protect the life of a citizen. Public opinion was critical of police following the revelation that they responded tardily and unprofessionally to an emergency call from a 28-year-old woman in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, who had been abducted and raped by a Korean Chinese man on April 1. He later killed her, and was finally apprehended as he chopped up the victim’s body to dispose of it. “I pray for the soul of the victim and pay my condolences to the bereaved family,” the police chief said. A Cheong Wa Dae official said President Lee Myung-bak will accept Cho’s resignation after Wednesday’s National Assembly elections. Seo Cheon-ho, 51, commissioner of the Gyeonggi Provincial Police Agency, also tendered his resignation over the murder. Cho said an internal probe showed the police’s 112 Crime Report Center failed to grasp the situation and reacted negligently, while officers made a desultory search for the crime scene and made false reports to cover up their mistakes. He said those who failed to fulfill their duty properly will have to take responsibility, including himself. “After learning the whole situation, I concluded the faults were too grave to be overlooked. My resignation will not solve all of the problems, but I will step down to take responsibility,” Cho said, adding he had made up his own mind without prior discussion with the presidential office. The police head said he was accountable for having incapable and careless officers stationed at the important crime call center. He said until his resignation is accepted, he will overhaul the system to improve officers’ ability to respond to crime reports, and dispatch capable people to such centers. Regarding a compensation suit the victim’s bereaved family plans to file, Cho said police would pay sufficient compensation to them. “Apart from the state compensation, police officers are raising money for them,” he said. Testimony from the bereaved family and an internal inspection showed the police response was a total failure. Police quoted the suspect, Wu Yuanchun, as confessing that he killed the woman about six hours after kidnapping her and taking her to his house. It was found that police officers were very near to Wu’s house about minutes after she called for help. But they failed to notice any sign of a crime. Her sister, who participated in the search in a patrol car about two hours after the victim’s call, said the officers parked the car at a site, which they later learned was about 20 meters away from the crime scene, and dozed. “I was worried so much, but they said they couldn’t search houses because it was late, saying they would do so in the morning,” the sister told a local daily. “If the officers had blown the siren several times, Wu might not have damaged the body that severely,” she said. The Suwon police station in charge of investigating the crime also didn’t report the case to the provincial police agency immediately. |
Hidden votes hold key to April 11 polls
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By Kang Hyun-kyung Tight races are underway in dozens of electoral districts, making it extremely difficult to predict which party will gain the upper hand in the Wednesday National Assembly elections. Among others, campaign analysts predict that so-called “hidden voters” will play a decisive role in determining the results of battleground constituencies. According to experts, 5 to 20 percent of voters remain reluctant to give the names of their preferred candidates. Parties are wary of hidden votes given the too-close-to-call races in nearly 50 constituencies out of 112 districts in Seoul and its vicinity two days before polling day. The greater Seoul area accounts for nearly 46 percent of the entire parliamentary seats. Tight races within a margin of error are underway there. In a radio interview, Rep. Lee Hye-hoon of the ruling Saenuri Party expressed worry over the role of hidden votes, reminding audience of the power of the silent voters in previous elections. “We’ve seen the powerful impact of hidden votes on elections in the past. In the 2010 local elections and Oct. 26 by-elections in 2011, there was an 8 to 20 percentage points gap between public opinion surveys and the actual election results,” the lawmaker said. “In 2010, even exit polls were found to be misleading as there was 15 to 20 percentage points gap between them and the results.” Rep. Lee, who is serving as a chief campaign strategist in the April 11 voting for the ruling party, said hidden votes are more likely to favor the opposition parties. Campaign strategists of the main opposition Democratic United Party (DUP) believed a high turnout holds the key to winning the elections. If it hits 60 percent or higher, they said, the liberal party will likely win a majority. On Monday, the DUP leader encouraged voters to vote against the ruling party. Reading a prepared statement, Chairwoman Han Myeong-sook appealed voters to judge the Saenuri Party at the polls. “The Lee Myung-bak government and the ruling Saenuri Party together are resistant to bringing change. Conservative voters are united 100 percent and geared up for the Wednesday elections, whereas liberals are not,” Han said. “I know the DUP made several mistakes and disappointed the general public. We regret this. But we are going to make a new start if voters give us the chance to bring a change in the elections.” The hidden vote factor had drawn keen attention in the 2010 local elections. The Seoul mayoral race in 2010 was one of the prime examples that showed its power. Oh Se-hoon, a former mayor of Seoul seeking reelection, had been ahead of his then rival Han with a double-digit margin. Few questioned Oh’s comfortable win before the election. But the situation drastically changed after the votes were counted. Oh was pronounced to be the winner with a razor-thin margin after his frontrunner position was threatened by Han numerous times. Oh stepped down from the mayoral post last year to take responsibility for a failed referendum on free school lunches. | |
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