Roh Resumes Duty as Head of State


By Na Jeong-ju, Shim Jae-yun
Staff Reporters
The Constitutional Court on Friday restored President Roh Moo-hyun to office, dismissing the impeachment motion passed against him by the National Assembly.

In a historic ruling broadcast live for about 30 minutes from 10 a.m., the court’s president Yun Young-chul said Roh violated election laws by supporting the Uri Party ahead of the April 15 general elections.

Yun, however, said the violation, a key reason cited for the impeachment, was not serious enough to warrant his dismissal. The court also turned down the other charges _ Roh’s responsibility for corruption involving his aides and his alleged incompetence as the head of state _ as insufficient.

``We’ve come to the conclusion that Roh’s violations were not grave enough to put the nation’s constitutional order, freedom and democracy in danger,’’ Yun said in the ruling, referring to comments Roh made during news conferences in February urging the public to support the pro-government Uri Party.

The court reminded the president of his duties to abide by the constitution and the law, saying all his words and actions have a significant impact on the nation.

With the ruling, Roh immediately regained his executive powers. The ruling gives Roh a fresh mandate to serve the remainder of his five-year term, which ends February 2008. Chong Wa Dae said in a statement that it humbly accepts the court’s ruling and thanked supporters of Roh for their backing during the turmoil caused by the impeachment.

The decision brings the two-month legal controversy to an end. The unprecedented trial took a crucial turn for Roh when the Uri Party won a majority in the 299-member legislature during last month’s elections.

Roh appeared at the presidential office at around 11 a.m. from his nearby residence within Chong Wa Dae, where he has been holed up for the past 63 days since the opposition parties passed the motion on March 12. He had a luncheon meeting with his staff at Chong Wa Dae and invited outgoing Prime Minister Goh Kun to a farewell dinner.

Roh plans to deliver a public statement on Saturday vowing he will do all he can to help the nation surmount the lingering hardship triggered by the impeachment. He will also express regret over the public inconvenience and anguish caused by the political struggles since he became the president, according to Chong Wa Dae officials.

Officials said Roh will reveal a strong will to rejuvenate the staggering national economy and stabilize the people’s livelihood, while at the same time pressing for the reform program designed to uproot prevalent corrupt practices.

Wary of criticism about his responsibility for the severe political disruptions, the reinstated president is expected to maintain a lower profile in managing state affairs in future.

Upholding the decision by the National Election Commission in March, the court said Roh’s comments in February were in violation of election laws and that he failed to follow a presidential obligation to maintain political neutrality in elections. He tried to pull strings in the elections by misusing his status as president, but the wrongdoings are not serious enough for his impeachment, the justice said.

The court ruled that corruption by Ahn Hee-jung, Yeo Taik-soo and Choi Do-sul, Roh’s key aides, fell short of legal justification for impeachment, because the bribery and illegal fundraising cases were committed before Roh took office in March of last year. Ahn, Yeo and Choi are all on trial for collecting illegal funds from businesses during the 2002 presidential campaign.

jj@koreatimes.co.kr