(EDITORIAL from the JoongAng Daily on May 30)

Work to be done as Roh rests

Former President Roh Moo-hyun is gone. The entire nation saw him leave at a
people???s funeral. The last week has been a long farewell.

Millions of people
visited altars, waiting in line for hours to offer a white chrysanthemum to the
deceased president. Around 500,000 mourners watched the former president???s
final journey, standing or sitting on asphalt roads amid sizzling temperatures.
Countless more said goodbye to the late former president, watching live
broadcasts of the funeral service from work or home.
The farewell in this world is over now. We cannot follow him to the other side.
Those who remain must go back to a normal life. The grief and regret must be
buried in history. We ought to build a memorial hall beside his gravestone to
house his belongings and the objects that were used during the people???s
funeral. That will serve as consolation for those who remember and miss him and
as a way to teach coming generations.
It is the task of our politicians to take the enthusiasm on the street and in
public squares back to their institutions. The biggest task is to uphold and
preserve President Roh???s political dreams: to reform political culture and its
institutions. This can only be done by politicians in Yeouido, not citizens in a
public square. In particular, the Democratic Party must hold to the spirit of the
former president and do its best to absorb the nation???s grief. The passion
shown in mourning the deceased leader must not be used as a means for political
attack. The people???s dreams must be realized through normal political
activities: discussions, criticism and legislation.
Meanwhile, the ruling party must think seriously about the grief and rage people
expressed during the heated mourning period. It must understand that the anger
comes from the people???s disappointment with the current administration. The
people are frustrated because the Grand National Party is busy fighting within
itself instead of working in harmony.
It is unusual for a former president of any country to take his own life. The
political community must analyze the reason such a tragedy happened here and work
together to correct it. They must change the current system, in which the
president is so powerful he is even called an ???emperor president.??? Since the
president is given excessive power, even his family and relatives are often
involved in corruption. Each time a new administration takes over, the former
president and those close to him have always been investigated. This vicious
circle must end.
June is coming. With the economy still in trouble, the North Korea situation
worsens day by day. If we blame one another, we cannot overcome these crises.
Former President Roh wrote, ???Do not blame anyone,??? in his will. He left the
message probably because he was worried conflict and division might be caused by
his death. Let???s bury grief and resentment, and move on.
(END)