Yes, more of the same from the sick little dictator.
Lots going on. Nice common rallying point going on in Asia for all those concerned with propping the dictator up -- the anti-Japanese rallies. Not that the Japanese don't need some censure for past deeds and present failures to own up for them (distortion of history in school books, etc). But the timing is interesting. Also interesting is Seoul's failure to likewise condemn the killing off of one tenth of the North Korean population over the past twelve years by little Kim. Or the kidnapping of hundreds, if not thousands, or South Koreans by the North over the past few decades. At least the Japanese finally had the guts and human decency to recently demand accountability from Pyongyang. Seoul doesn't give a damn. Probably why ROK polls in 03 showed over half the population desiring to emigrate. What a great job Roh is doing.
Check this link - http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200504/200504170034.html - for current news on "People Power 21"'s (one of Roh's brown shirt organizations) efforts to get ROK ambassador to the US recalled over alleged real estate illegalities. Don't fail to take note of paragraph four: "The group People Power 21 issued a statement titled, 'Don’t Test the People' which read, 'As Ambassador Hong was the chairman of a media company tasked with monitoring and criticizing the government' at the time of his illegal transaction, "his actions must be condemned even more.” Hong was the chairman of the JoongAng Ilbo [conservative ROK newspaper -- Hong's appointment in Feb was somewhat of a surprise -- undoubtedly the Roh administration wanted to capitalize on his strong ties to the US]". Don't really no anything about Hong's real estate deals. If he is pulled though, it will be interesting to see who Roh appoints in his place.
Many in S. Korea are schizophrenic. They support Roh but hate its consequence. This reminds me of people who never fail to watch a TV drama they swear they hate.
The result is to escape the situation by emigrating. Mush emotional retards.
As for Ambassador Hong, here is the inside story: In 2003, Roh paid a visit to Hong, and had a quiet chat. Since then, the tone of JoongAng Ilbo has been subtly changing. Now. It completely left the conservative camp. Depending on the issue, it is either center or left now. Roh is also forging alliance with Samsung, to which JoongAng Ilbo is affiliated(Hong is (Samsung Chairman) Lee Keun-hee's in-law.) This way Samsung and its affiliated groups can escape government's "persecution." This seems another way of the emergence of business community's unified front against Roh.
Hong was previously imprisoned under Kim Dae-jung for some tax trouble, which was an attempt to rein on conservative major dailies. He has now become a government mouthpiece. I may understand his motive. However, it is a costly mistake which would haunt him for a long time. It is better for him to quit ambassadorship now than forcing himself to continue. At least that is what I will do if I am in his shoes.
Roh now changed his tactics. He decided to take on a facade of pragmatist, making concessions on his economic agenda. He tries to shore up economy, which would boost his popularity and strengthen his political position. To do that, he distanced himself from some hardcore ideologues, who want to hold on to all lefties agenda and implement them now.
However, he still retains some crucial leftist agenda, pro-North policy and anti-American and anti-Japanese stance. And scouring over records of dead collaborators and their descendants, and rehabilitating communist partisans and communists as nationalists and patriots.
Still I think he is playing fire by keeping undermining S.Korea-U.S. alliance and cozying up with China. He is way over his league. I think he is signing his political death warrant.