[120127] ‘Completely remodeled?’ Voters are no fools anymore!
‘Completely remodeled?’ Voters are no fools anymore!
It is an easy last resort for a failing restaurant to put up a banner outside that reads “Completely remodeled – Reopening soon.” Seldom does it succeed in luring people, however, unless the business had really gone through a genuine change – because they simply know it.
South
Korea’s government party is said to have opted for the ‘Shin-jang-gae-eop’ method in the end, a
well predicted move in the run-up to this year’s two major polls – the April
general elections and the December presidential
election.
We may have to acknowledge that it has taken rather long indeed before the Grand National Party (GNP) decided to change its official party name in 15 years – in a country where a myriad of parties have risen and fallen endlessly – though without fundamental changes – over past several decades.
It goes back to 1997, just ahead of a presidential poll, when the major conservative party altered its official name into ‘Han-nara-dang.’ It literally means the grand-national-party, though the acronym may remind some people of the GOP, or the Republican Party of the United States, or even the GNP (Gross National Product) in the headlines of English-language newspapers.
Despite the facelift however, the party which had ruled the nation more than half a century fell from grace and had to serve as the main opposition party for 10 years before regaining power in 2007.
Behind the latest move to scrap the grandiose name once again lies a similarly desperate situation the country’s conservative forces face in about 15 years. President Lee Myung-bak, elected in hopes for a flourishing fatherland, has merely proved how badly a CEO-turned-head of state can spoil the national economy. While his “business-friendly” policies served only a few chaebol groups, they deteriorated the socio-economic polarization effectively. Now in his last out of five years in office, the lame-duck president finds himself all the more embarrassed, as not only his political confidants but his own family members and relatives are accused of involvement in a series of unfolding corruption and influence-peddling scandals. His administration is now even attacked by opposition parties and civic activists for alleged fraudulence in the Seoul mayoral by-election last October and a large-scale stock price manipulation scandal surrounding a diamond development project in Cameroon. Even foreign news media criticize Lee as opposition figures have suffered hardship amid worsening freedom of press under his administration.
It is no wonder that the ruling party, now spearheaded by ‘princess/savior’ Park Geun-hye, tries to keep more and more distance from the beleaguered head of state in the lead-up to major political schedules. Park, who has risen to a presidential frontrunner as the daughter of late dictator Park Chung-hee, has been at odds with Lee since she was defeated by the businessman-turned-politician in the GNP primaries five years ago. Challenged by liberal and progressive forces, she might have realized that there would be no other choice but to sever ties with the ‘failed’ president – and it had to be quick and swift.
Park, who loves to repeat her “void” repertoire – in than it lacks concrete contents – of ‘nation’ and ‘people,’ says that the new name of her party would be chosen by the party leadership and a group of internal/external experts early next month after a three-day contest open to ordinary citizens.
On Friday, Jan. 27, the first day of the short public contest, however, social network services are flooded with satires, mocks and ridicules which are, in fact, not only succinct and to the point but explains the past, present and future of the conservative party.
“What about Seong-nara-dang, or the Grand Sexual Party?” a Twitter user proposed in an apparent sarcasm against the party, many of whose lawmakers have stirred up public outrage for sexually inappropriate words and deeds over the past several years. Other suggestions included, among others, ‘Il-je-jan-dang’ (remnants of those who collaborated with the Japanese Imperialism), ‘Ddan-nara-dang’ (Party of another country, not ours) and ‘Du-nara-dang’ (Party split into two factions).
It is entirely up to the party’s decision whether to change its name ahead of elections (and it seems inevitable even for the eyes of outsiders). But there is one thing politicians should know: voters are no fools any more. It is true people have been deceived numerous times by such tricks in previous elections. But now they have got much more sophisticated tastes and appetites. A bad restaurant with notorious foods and services can never win back the hearts of people simply by changing the sign and some interior designs, unless it overhauls the kitchen as well as the hall and, if necessary, replaces the chef and staff. Naming itself can be important in this era of ‘image politics,’ but what matters even more is a “sense of satisfaction,” which a political party is meant to deliver to the people.
We may have to acknowledge that it has taken rather long indeed before the Grand National Party (GNP) decided to change its official party name in 15 years – in a country where a myriad of parties have risen and fallen endlessly – though without fundamental changes – over past several decades.
It goes back to 1997, just ahead of a presidential poll, when the major conservative party altered its official name into ‘Han-nara-dang.’ It literally means the grand-national-party, though the acronym may remind some people of the GOP, or the Republican Party of the United States, or even the GNP (Gross National Product) in the headlines of English-language newspapers.
Despite the facelift however, the party which had ruled the nation more than half a century fell from grace and had to serve as the main opposition party for 10 years before regaining power in 2007.
Behind the latest move to scrap the grandiose name once again lies a similarly desperate situation the country’s conservative forces face in about 15 years. President Lee Myung-bak, elected in hopes for a flourishing fatherland, has merely proved how badly a CEO-turned-head of state can spoil the national economy. While his “business-friendly” policies served only a few chaebol groups, they deteriorated the socio-economic polarization effectively. Now in his last out of five years in office, the lame-duck president finds himself all the more embarrassed, as not only his political confidants but his own family members and relatives are accused of involvement in a series of unfolding corruption and influence-peddling scandals. His administration is now even attacked by opposition parties and civic activists for alleged fraudulence in the Seoul mayoral by-election last October and a large-scale stock price manipulation scandal surrounding a diamond development project in Cameroon. Even foreign news media criticize Lee as opposition figures have suffered hardship amid worsening freedom of press under his administration.
It is no wonder that the ruling party, now spearheaded by ‘princess/savior’ Park Geun-hye, tries to keep more and more distance from the beleaguered head of state in the lead-up to major political schedules. Park, who has risen to a presidential frontrunner as the daughter of late dictator Park Chung-hee, has been at odds with Lee since she was defeated by the businessman-turned-politician in the GNP primaries five years ago. Challenged by liberal and progressive forces, she might have realized that there would be no other choice but to sever ties with the ‘failed’ president – and it had to be quick and swift.
Park, who loves to repeat her “void” repertoire – in than it lacks concrete contents – of ‘nation’ and ‘people,’ says that the new name of her party would be chosen by the party leadership and a group of internal/external experts early next month after a three-day contest open to ordinary citizens.
On Friday, Jan. 27, the first day of the short public contest, however, social network services are flooded with satires, mocks and ridicules which are, in fact, not only succinct and to the point but explains the past, present and future of the conservative party.
“What about Seong-nara-dang, or the Grand Sexual Party?” a Twitter user proposed in an apparent sarcasm against the party, many of whose lawmakers have stirred up public outrage for sexually inappropriate words and deeds over the past several years. Other suggestions included, among others, ‘Il-je-jan-dang’ (remnants of those who collaborated with the Japanese Imperialism), ‘Ddan-nara-dang’ (Party of another country, not ours) and ‘Du-nara-dang’ (Party split into two factions).
It is entirely up to the party’s decision whether to change its name ahead of elections (and it seems inevitable even for the eyes of outsiders). But there is one thing politicians should know: voters are no fools any more. It is true people have been deceived numerous times by such tricks in previous elections. But now they have got much more sophisticated tastes and appetites. A bad restaurant with notorious foods and services can never win back the hearts of people simply by changing the sign and some interior designs, unless it overhauls the kitchen as well as the hall and, if necessary, replaces the chef and staff. Naming itself can be important in this era of ‘image politics,’ but what matters even more is a “sense of satisfaction,” which a political party is meant to deliver to the people.
By pushahead
January 27, 2012
Just a brief update: the interim leadership of ruling Grand National Party (GNP) announced on Feb. 2 that it has picked up the "Sae-nuri-dang," or the "New World Party," as its new official name (though it should get endorsement of party members).
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