WHAT AN IDIOT... PRESIDENT ROH
How Corrupt Can a Political System Be?

This one cracks me up. The president of South Korea promised a few months back that "he would step down if his illegal campaign funds during the 2002 presidential election campaign exceeded 10 percent of those of the GNP (opposition party)." How messed up is that if the president of a top 10 global economy basically admits to illegal campaign funding and replies by saying, "Well, we weren't as bad as the other party."

And he goes on, which I assume out of confidence, to promise to the nation that his party did not have illegal funds exceeding 10% of the other party. If I was a Korean citizen, is this suppose to make me feel better? More confident that one party is at least "90% less corrupt" than the other party? He's a joke. I doesn't get it and doesn't belong in such an office. Obviously, there needs to be huge changes made in the political system in Korea, and Roh is not the person to lead such a battle. He's almost, if not already, a lame-duck president.

Now prosecutors in the campaign funding investigation found his illegal funds to exceed 10% of the GNP's. He should just keep his promise and step down. Let my relatives live in a nation moving towards progress and reform, and not be led by someone who constantly reveals himself to be incapable and idiotic. Stop me from cringing every few weeks. Don't be like Mikey from Swingers, just give up... put the phone down. Please.


Words come back to haunt Roh

The Korea Herald
By Lee Joo-hee
March 10, 2004

President Roh Moo-hyun's words are coming back to haunt him.

While it is not unusual for politicians to break promises - the public pretty much expects it - one of the president's bolder pledges is firmly lodged in the minds of opposition parties as well as voters.

Roh on Dec. 14 confidently told the country he would step down if his illegal campaign funds during the 2002 presidential election campaign exceeded 10 percent of those of the GNP.

The prosecution this week revealed its numbers. Roh's campaign took in about 11.4 billion won compared to the Grand National Party's 82.3, prosecutors revealed.

It did not take the opposition long to dredge up Roh's three-month-old promise and do the math. Now, Roh's Cheong Wa Dae aides are doing some fancy stepping, talking about the president taking responsibility but not being specific about what he will do. (full article)