Citizens vote during the midterm elections 07 November, 2006, at a polling station located in an car dealership in Glendale, California, 10 miles (16.6 km) north of Los Angeles,California. Republican control of Congress is in the balance today as voters cast their ballots across the nation. Democrats mining public discontent over President George W. Bush's war in Iraq battled to break the Republican stranglehold in Congress Tuesday, as millions of Americans went to the polls. Democratic leaders predicted they would recapture the House of Representatives for the first time since 1994, but needed to pull off a less likely clean sweep of battleground seats to seize the Senate. AFP PHOTO / Robyn BECK



[Editorial] New Security and Diplomatic Team Should
Listen to the Nation

Park Nam Choon, the senior secretary for personnel affairs at Cheong Wa Dae, stated yesterday that the selection of ministers and personnel for security and diplomacy was made upon ability and task, not for censuring or changing the situation. However, many opponents do not agree with the explanation given by the senior secretary. Despite the comment ‘disappointment everywhere’ made by the Grand National Party, it is pointed out in the Uri Party as the ‘code personnel’ and ‘round and round personnel’.

Nevertheless, a lot of work has been assigned to them, as can be seen from the whole reorganization of the security and diplomatic team for the first time since President Roh Moo Hyun gained political power. The most impending matters to be solved are the North Korean nuclear crisis and the discord between Korea and the U.S at the moment. Recently, the return of the six-party talks with North Korea, that might become a key to solving the nuclear crisis, was decided excluding South Korea. We only were informed by China. Furthermore, the conflict regarding the matter of early transfer of wartime control, that is important to our security, is continuing. The nation is greatly concerned as to whether a break in the union of Korea and the US has caused such results.

Popular complaints against the Ministry of National Unification have taken place now and then. The ministry was criticized for not raising its voice against North Korea while having provided all the necessary items to them. It was also mentioned that the National Intelligence Service has failed to manage its task to collect information relating to the North Korean nuclear experiment.

At the same time, the full reorganization of the security and diplomatic team is an opportunity to sort out the disorder their policies. The tension upon the Korean peninsula has increased to the highest level after the North Korean nuclear experiment. Although it is fortunate that North Korea confirmed its return to the six-party talks, the concern for national security among the people still remains. Therefore, the new security and diplomatic team should seek the best way to prevent aggravation of diplomatic and security conditions around the Korean peninsula. It is the only way to hush up the voice of concern over the personnel selection.
/ 입력시간: 2006. 11.04. 08:56