South Korean Scandal Takes New Twist (antiAmerican Roh Moo-hyun getting canned)

SEOUL -- A political bribery scandal involving figures from South Korea's two major political parties took a new twist on Tuesday when former President Roh Moo-hyun announced on a Web site that his wife received money from a key figure in the case.

Associated Press South Korea's Roh Moo-hyun with his wife, Kwon Yang-sook, in February. The development is a surprising turn for Mr. Roh, who until now appeared to be the first South Korean president since the country became a true democracy in the late 1980s not to be tarnished by a bribery or political influence scandal.

Mr. Roh posted the announcement several hours after one of his former aides, Chung Sang-moon, was arrested and charged with taking hundreds of millions of won from Park Yeon-cha, chairman of Taekwang Industrial Co., a shoe manufacturer

The rallying cry of Roh supporters has been, "Yes, he could be an amateur, or even incompetent. However, he is definitely not corrupt." That has been his only real selling point to general public. Without it, he has no edge to speak of. None.

There were tons of people with extensive governing experience and better talent if you decided not to bother with the fact that they are from establishment and not entirely free from tangled web of special interests and money.

Now it turns out that the reason he was clean is because he never had a chance. As soon as he became the center of political power, he and his associates dove headlong into the game of money and influence. They are just another group of trailer trash, peddling themselves as political outsider free of corruption, and champion of the downtrodden. He deliberately maintained his country-style facade. He talked and walked like a peasant.

Besides, these outsiders are also under the umbrella of once underground leftwing network. The folks who really believes ends justify means. They lived it to the fullest. Law does not apply to them, so-called democracy fighters which is frequently in reality a disguise for leftwing revolutionary or its bad imitation.

They believe they live outside the conventional norm of the society, which they believe is to be plowed under completely, and as pioneers to lead such a movement, they are different from ordinary people. They are special. They reject conventional norm including laws if necessary. Such a mentality pervades among them.

They are another power-hungry class of privileged group bent on replacing existing one.

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