Costly lesson in democracy

The road to democracy here has been markedly bumpy, checkered with violence and blood. Impassioned protests have been useful, JP/6/E03 brutal military dictatorship. Though ironical, a society in the firm grip of authoritarian rule often agreed that the goal could justify the means.

The overwhelming shock and chaos following the first impeachment of a sitting president in the 56-year history of Korean democracy has set the stage for the nation to learn another vital lesson on its jagged journey to free democracy. It is that, not only the goal, but the means can matter dearly.

Many Koreans have yet to recover from traumatic concussion three days after the National Assembly voted to impeach President Roh Moo-hyun in an incredible state of disorder. It is not only the lawless state of events in the legislature before and at the time of the vote on the unprecedented motion, but also how apparently insignificant political feuds can plunge the nation into cataclysmic confusion, that has left not a few reasonable souls acutely troubled.

Clearly, even the most unforgiving critics of President Roh must not have expected that hostilities among rival political parties could become so embittered, with such a devastating result.

Painful self-reflection is required from all players in this embarrassing drama, from individual lawmakers to top party leaders and the president himself. With debate on the validity of impeachment now entrusted to the Constitutional Court, it would be helpful for all the parties involved to look back soberly on what truly went wrong for them to put aside the basic tenets of democracy and wallow in a swamp of hatred and vengeance.

-- The Korea Herald, Seoul