When he was a legislator, President Chen Shui-bian (
But apart from respect, Chen must have also felt some envy when Kim won the Nobel Peace Prize.
In fact, Chen should not just respect Kim but should also try to learn from South Korea's experience, if only because there are so many similarities between Taiwan and South Korea. Despite the different circumstances and ethnic characteristics, the two leaders can learn much from each other and make up for their mutual shortcomings if they are willing to learn.
For example, Chen is now being cornered by the opposition alliance's boycott. Chen is having his arm twisted on his policies and proposed legislation because he is a minority president with a mere 39.3 percent mandate and his party, the DPP, is also a minority party in the Legislative Yuan. The opposition's drive to recall him is now on the back burner, but it may be re-kindled at any time.
But if we look at South Korea, none of its three most recent presidents has won a majority mandate. Roh Tae-woo got only 36 percent of votes, Kim Young-sam got 42 percent and Kim Dae-jung 40 percent. The South Korean parliament has also been controlled by the opposition. But all of them have survived opposition despite being minority presidents. Furthermore, except for Kim Young-sam, who is seen as the least competent of the three, both Roh and Kim have made important contributions to the country.
Roh's prospects did not look good when he won the presidential election in 1987. There were overwhelming worries that his government would be short-lived. Not only did he have a minority mandate, but his government also had to bear the cross of Chun Doo-hwan's military government, which was widely hated for the Kwangju massacre in 1980. Roh's first six months in office were bumpy, just like Chen's. The opposition parties were ready to jump at the first opportunity to oust him. But Roh found a way out of his predicament. He declared to the country that he would hold a "mid-term evaluation," or referendum, on his government halfway into his term. He also vowed to step down if the people passed a no-confidence vote on his government at that time.
Roh's announcement immediately quelled the political turmoil and gave him two relatively smooth years to promote his policies and South Korea's democratization.
Just as a student should not be expelled from school because of poor performance in the first week of the semester, a new president should not be judged until he has completed at least half his .
Roh's "mid-term evaluation" idea is something Chen can emulate. Recently, the President's Advisory Group on Cross-Strait Affairs has said the government could consider holding a referendum on unification with China. We believe a referendum instead should be applied as a mid-term evaluation of the president, which may be a more pressing matter than unification.
Chen has not been able to find a solution to the opposition alliance's boycott because he has controlled too much of the political resources and refused to share them with the opposition. Chen could, for example, give some of the Cabinet seats to the opposition. He could also try to attract talented, like-minded opposition politicians to the DPP. As long as his policies are grounded in majority public opinion, Chen can generate a powerful shock therapy to lift sagging public morale, frustrate the opposition and ease the political turmoil.
Otherwise, no one can guarantee how long his government will last if the current political turmoil continues.
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