Media power: Korean democracy exhibiting maturity

Media is a force to be reckoned with. Media is power. If utilized properly, it can construct. If it is just the otherwise, it can well deconstruct too.

In my own country, the media has done more harm than good. Harm in the sense that we in the media sector have begun speaking the political dictates of the political parties. We do so because we are funded. We receive under table money from our political bosses. This is too bad. Or how could a chap not even in his mid-twenties dare to publish newspaper with a good number of pages inside. By the same token what is also understandable is that unless you sell yourself to some authority- in- dark-chamber and follow his dictates, you can’t, my long experience in this sector suggests, stand in Katmandu’s market even for a week or so.

However, how one is surviving should not bother me. I know my own limitations and know well on how to exist. Questions could also be raised as to how I am surviving. After all it’s a democracy. You have to listen to others as well even it be a bit pinching.

Talking about media as a power, I now firmly believe that it is a power and will remain a power for long. I now believe that if the media acts in a manner as is expected of it, it can create a havoc in the nation and even challenge the authority of the President of a country.

Korea. Yes I am talking about a case that recently happened in the ROK which created many a sleepless nights for those who are supposedly the followers of the President, now in controversy, and the President himself.

Behind all these havoc now raging in Korea is the creation of the media.

If what I could grasp from a discussion program telecast by ARI-RANG TV, a semi official channel I suppose, last week, then the story stands like this, which is as follows:

A Korean media man approaches the President, Roh Moon-hyun, He interviews the President. The interview is a nice one. Suddenly, the interviewer asks the President, "Well Mr. President! Do you intend to support your own party at time of the election?"

The President apparently in an "easy-go" mood responds that "he would"!

When he was saying so, the President said so without calculating the series of political disasters that were awaiting against him. This he said so apparently in a lighter vein.

However, fate had different lessons for him.

The fact is that as per the Korean election laws, the President can albeit be a member of the party. However, while continuing in the seat of the President, he is not supposed to support his own party. The gist is that the President, till he remains the President, is expected to remain a neutral observer.

President Roh’s friends in the Opposition became suddenly restive and began shaking the Korean earth. The Opposition party, a party led by strong Conservative leaders, got a point which was sufficient for them to dig at the party of the incumbent President, the Party of the Reformists to the extent that a sort of pandemonium was seen inside the parliament when the President’s Opposition demanded an "impeachment" of the sitting President. A sort of barroom fight occurred inside the parliament. Emotional lawmakers screamed, threw punches and smashed furniture as the opposition forced an impeachment vote against President Roh Moon-hyun.

What also came to the fore from my watching out the discussion, some panelists did say that the Conservatives in the Opposition wished to block the President’s desire to go in for a massive reforms in the country. The economy, agriculture, business, industry and even political sector need to be reformed as per the wishes of the President’s party-the Reformists. However, the strong opposition of the Conservatives was making the task a difficult affair for the President and his party to move in the direction as desired.

Luckily, the Consrvatives got an opportunity to cash in on from the President’s off the cuff remarks to the journalist.

Now that the Constitutional Court Committee is in action. It has decided to offer its verdict well after a lapse of 180 days.

Only two things are to be decided: Has the President violated the Korean election laws? Secondly, does this issue is so grave that warranted the President’s impeachment?

Yes or No !

However, panelists debated that the issue is not that grave one that warrants president’s impeachment for a minor fault. Men in the opposition, however, take it their way, which is natural.

My own contention has been that which ever the verdict goes, Korean democracy is on its way to attaining maturity. Unless such incidents take place, leaders and politicians will take things in a easy manner.

The whole incident in Korea does tell that the President too has his limits; that there are certain laws that can’t in any way be overrun; and that how a vocal opposition should be at times when the party in power commits even a minor mistake; and that all these good and sad events does strengthen the democratic processes.

I believe that the Korean democracy will come of its age after the issue gets settled.

And don’t forget the power of the media.

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