Page 145 - kpi18886

137

was forced to resign. This is a story that you may know. What I want
to emphasize here is that all the process to the impeachment were very
orderly, peaceful and constitutional. Though a large number of people
gathered, political protests proceeded peacefully. There were no riots
and no violence. Nobody was killed nor seriously harmed. This is a kind
of ‘Korea’s Glorious Revolution’, as which I described the peaceful
protests when I had an interview with the New Yok Times. Responding
to such strong public outcry, the National Assembly had nothing but to
vote for the impeachment. Some legislators of the governing party also
voted for the dismissal of the president. A bill of the impeachment was
passed in December 2016. And the Constitutional Court upheld the
decision of the National Assembly in March 2017. Along with the
judicial verdict, President Park Geun Hye was finally fired, and the
political crises that lasted for nearly six months were resolved. Here I
would like to emphasize the roles of political institutions for resolving
the crisis. Unless political institutions had not responded ‘timely and
properly’, peaceful protests might not have proceeded in that way any
longer. Though citizens may socially raise important issues or demands,
it is political institutions that should respond to and, more importantly,
can resolve them. That is to say, effective and responsive political
institutions are essential part for sustainable democracy. Political
institutions such as political parties, the legislature, the Court, and the
press so on should function appropriately and effectively as they are
supposed to do. Moreover, political communication between people and
political institutions is very significant. Political institutions should
genuinely communicate with people, and timely respond to people’s
wish. If they neglect such roles or even try to dominate people, people
can disregard such political institutions altogether. In turn, it would
seriously do harm against sustainable democracy. This is the second
lesson from Korea’s recent political crises.

Third, economic prosperity is also another important condition for
sustainable democracy. Economic development and industrial growth
have clearly contributed to Korea’s smooth process to democratic
consolidation. For the last three decades since democratization, the

การอภิปรายรวมระหวางผูแทนจากตางประเทศ