Goh on Presidential
Candidacy

No hesitation to run if people ask, although yet to make up his mind

Goh Kun, former prime minister, who left the government in May 2004, refusing to name new cabinet members, has continued to maintain high popularity ratings of around 20 percent in the polls. There are pros and cons of the poll results, but it is not highly usual for the former prime minister to have high ratings in the polls continuously, without belonging to a political party. He attributes the enviable record to the public ratings of his achievements during his long career as a public servant.
The ex-prime minister, who, for a while ruled the country, when President Roh Moo-hyun was incapacitated due to impeachment by the National Assembly, cautioned that the country is in the middle of an important crossroad at the beginning of the 21st century. Sandwiched between the rising China and high-tech Japan, the country doesn't seem to have strategies to cope with the situation in an effective manner, he lamented. Last year, the people had a hard time making both ends meet and many young men were out of work with the economy in the doldrums.
The gap between the rich and poor is growing wider, generating conflicts between social strata, generations and regions. The political circles should take care of these problems, but they have been unable to provide the leadership to solve them, wrapped up in a wheel of idealism, Goh criticized. Looking back at the records of the Roh government, he said, it has eliminated the authoritarianism and clearly has relegated power to local governments, although it failed to build a new leadership in the early stages of the new century.
The new government could have done more to listen to what people say and get their cooperation on important national issues before setting up policies and implement them. A decade from now is critical for the country because in 2015, the number of economically active people would be smaller than the number of non-active people. Korea should be an advanced country by then, he stressed. The economy should grow 5.4 percent annually and then bring per capita income to from $34,000 to $35,000. A long-term strategy and vision are needed to harness national energy and the government should provide the leadership to embrace and integrate all strata in the country overcoming confrontation and division.
On North Korea, he said, the government has been following the right North Korean policies basically, but it should systemize the economic exchange with the North focused on leading the North to be more open and reform. He said the 6-party talks should be maintained to solve North Korea's nuclear programs and expand it to the extent that it would be a system for security and order in Northeast Asia.
On Korea-U.S. relations, he said, the formal relationship is good, but they should do more for the exchange of opinions as allies.
On his chances of entering the presidential election, he said, it is too early to talk about the presidential candidacy because the election is still two years away. But I would not hesitate to answer the call from the people if I am sure about my role to make Korea an advanced country by 2015. He said he is a liberal conservative and rational progressive, when asked about his political leaning.
On factors to determine political candidacies, he said, one of them is polls, which would depend on the capacity to lead the country; the ability to integrate the nation, stability, morality, and ideas on reform. The unity of people crossing over conflicts and division would be the spirit of the age, he said.
Goh said President Roh has not provided an integrating leadership as shown in his nomination of cabinet ministers, although people want such leadership from him. When he was prime minister, he first draw up the role that a minister should play and chose three candidates according to the job they have to face.
On the private school law issue, he said, the government, private school foundations and ruling and opposition parties should have held the discussions on the law and it is not too late to hold one. nw

Goh Kun, former prime minister.