Chung Dong-young ‘Hopeful’ About Dokdo

Ruling Uri Party chairman Chung Dong-young successfully flew to Dokdo by helicopter on Monday. It was his fifth attempt.

He first tried to fly to the islets on February 28, but bad weather foiled every attempt until this week. Once there, he announced something called his "Three Principles Regarding the Defense of Dokdo," stating that "Dokdo is simultaneously a territorial and historical issue," the islets have been "the territory of the Republic of Korea since the beginning of history," and that "the defense of territorial sovereignty will be first priority of state affairs for the Republic of Korea."

Chung's office says his visit completes a "dialogue with history" which he began immediately after being elected chairman of the ruling party in February. Since then he has visited the Daegu grave site of the wrongfully executed members of the "People's Revolutionary Party," the Gwangju Student Independence Movement Memorial Monument, the grave site of those who died in the Jeamni Massacre, and now the Dokdo islets.

Naturally, it would be hard not to say that it looks as if he went to Dokdo to recover some of his approval ratings by denouncing Japan. According to a study by the Christian Broadcasting Service (CBS) and the opinion poll company Real Meter, president Roh Moo Hyun saw a 1.5 point increase in his approval ratings in the time he announced a stronger stance against Japan last month. Currently he enjoys 40.6 percent approval.

Some within Chung's party are not amused. "Right now the National Assembly is in a state of upheaval because of the confrontation with the Grand National Party," said one first time ruling party parliamentarian. "It is not appropriate for the chairman, who is supposed to be responsible for party affairs, to be visiting Dokdo."

Yi Tae-hui, [e-mail]