Roh - a nation mourns
The suicide of the former President Roh Moo Hyun and the nation's ensuing grief has dominated the South Korean media, vastly overshadowing news of North Korea's second nuclear test.
President Roh took his own life following allegations that he and members of his family had accepted bribes amounting to more than $6 million from a Korean businessman. Such emotional scenes marking the death of a politician under the shadow of bribery accusations seems perplexing.
The same people who are currently out on the streets expressing grief that is wholly genuine, in the last Presidential election, chose the conservative candidate Lee Myong-bak with a landslide victory. It seems hard to reconcile the outpouring of grief for the progressive Roh with the current conservative mood in South Korea.
The grief shown by many Koreans is for Roh the person rather than politician, a man who rose from an unprivileged background to become a human rights lawyer, a leader within the democracy movement and an outspoken politician battling against corruption and the historical legacy of authoritarian rule in Korean politics.
But there is another element to the anguish shown by the Korean public. In many ways, Roh's life reflects the recent history of South Korean politics. Roh, a highly idealistic man, motivated by the desire to change and improve his nation, was the first President in Korea to be elected on ideological grounds in a country where electoral politics is heavily affected by regional bias.
He won the election by with a narrow majority following a highly populist and idealistic political campaign promising to end corruption and bring change to Korean politics and society. But by the end, Roh's presidency was considered a failure.
Conservatives were able to paralyse his reform efforts. Roh was indicted, though later cleared, of election impropriety. The economy was seen as performing poorly despite a respectable level of economic growth for a nation at Korea's stage of development. People soon became impatient with the slow progress of his government's reforms and perturbed by his conciliatory attitude toward an ever belligerent North Korea.
By the time his presidency had ended he was hugely unpopular and in the subsequent Presidential election Koreans overwhelmingly voted for Lee Myong-bak, a man who was tainted by corruption allegations even before he reached office who comes from Korea's main conservative party which is still heavily influenced by elements from the authoritarian era.
Roh's journey from political radical to disgraced politician has reminded the electorate of their own journey from hopeful, idealistic democrats to increasingly cynical conservatives. Just as Roh faced his shame in succumbing to the trappings of power, many Koreans are now expressing the shame they feel for 'betraying' Roh and his progressive agenda.
The Korean people are not only mourning for the death of Roh, but also a grief for the lost opportunity and the passing of an era where idealism and hope was still part of Korea's politics. In this context, the scenes of mass emotion can be much better understood.
Following the death of Roh and the deep sense of grief and guilt felt by the population, the current Lee Administration can expect a much more demanding and reform minded population in the months to come not only in the realm of domestic political reform, but also regarding relations with the North, currently at their lowest level in recent times..
Roh may not have been able to achieve the change he desired during his time as President. However, in the movement that has ensued following his suicide, a change will hopefully take place amongst a population who may once again become politically active, progressive and critical.
If this is the case, as many hope, through his death, Roh may achieve the political change than he was unable to bring about during his time in office and this will ensure that Roh's legacy reflects his real contribution to the development of South Korea.
