"Tomorrow Will Be Different"
By Barry Hillenbrand, S. Chang
Given the breathless turn of events, Opposition Leader Kim Young Sam was understandably ebullient last week when he talked with TIME's Hillenbrand and Chang. Excerpts:
On future reforms. I firmly believe we will have direct presidential elections, and this announcement by Roh Tae Woo is the acceptance of an idea that people wanted for so long. It was also something that I have advocated for so long. In fact, when I met with the President on June 24, I insisted we should have a joint declaration on democracy. He did not accept my proposal, but when I left him, I had a feeling that he was already about to change his mind. According to my sources, President Chun Doo Hwan and his people were considering either martial law or accepting the people's demand for democracy.
On American influence. The most significant factor in this change was people's power. At the same time, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Gaston Sigur's warning against military intervention did have some influence. I think the U.S. policy on that issue was very proper and timely.
On opposition politics. I strongly believe we will not have a split in our party as we have had in the past. In a speech yesterday, with Kim Dae Jung standing by my side, I made four promises: to avoid letting the ruling party split us, never to compete against each other for votes, to struggle not only for democratization but for a united front after that and, finally, never to repeat the folly of 1980 ((when the two Kims led opposing factions for the presidency)).
On a timetable for democratization. The first task is for the government to release all political prisoners and restore all political rights, including those of Kim Dae Jung. Also, the government should stop hunting down political fugitives. Then we have to sit down with the ruling party and work out the constitutional change. The constitution has to be finished some time in September, with the presidential election law and the National Assembly election law finished in early October. The presidential election should take place in late October or early November, before the weather gets too cold.
On fair elections. A dishonest election will not be possible this time. About 42 million people will watch closely to ensure honesty.
On the opposition's election prospects. I told Roh that he should be prepared to become the opposition, and he said he realized that that was a possibility when he made his proposals. In a direct presidential election, the people will show they are unwilling to accept a military man as President. People know that Roh is the successor of the military rule of Chun Doo Hwan.
On economic reform. I am not going to make any fundamental change of the economic system we have. But I know the current government has been supported primarily by the large corporations. In my economic policy, I am going to concentrate on building up small and medium industries. It's very unfortunate that the government has had such tight control over every sector of industry. I am going to have an economy in which we have freedom of competition. We will go from a dictatorial economy to a free economy.
On the future. Things are changing so rapidly here. Today is different from yesterday, and tomorrow will be different again. People know they have a united power and a self-confidence that will guarantee us an honest and democratic future. You can't lie and trick people anymore. If you do that, people will revolt.