Healthcare debacle grows into political crisis for President Kim The fiasco at the nation's healthcare system is fast developing into a political crisis for President Kim Dae-jung, who has touted medical reform and expansion of other welfare programs as one of his major achievements. The main opposition party, who have called the depletion of the medical insurance fund a "catastrophe," demanded yesterday that Kim's cabinet, including Prime Minister Lee Han-dong, resign en masse.

Major civic groups have formed a coalition to block the government's move to raise medical insurance premiums. They call for the resignation of Health and Welfare Minister Choi Sun-jung and a complete overhaul of the healthcare system.

Faced with the growing public outcry, even ruling party members are pressing the President to replace Choi and other cabinet ministers in order to regain public confidence in the government.

"It is inevitable for the President to sack Minister Choi and reorganize the cabinet to restore public confidence in the government," a senior ruling party official said.

Kim must reshape the cabinet as soon as possible to contain the negative public sentiment toward the government, he said.

Kim's senior aides at Chong Wa Dae agreed with the ruling party member on the need to reinvigorate the trouble-ridden cabinet, but indicated that the President will not replace Choi and other cabinet members any time soon.

"What's important at this moment is to work out measures to fix the financial crisis at the medical insurance fund," a senior presidential aide said.

Other Chong Wa Dae officials noted that the government plans to announce a package of measures Monday. An emergency meeting of related ministers is scheduled for today.

"The President believes that it is improper for him to replace Choi in the middle of these government works," a senior official said.

"But once the government drafts the measures, Minister Choi cannot help but go," he said.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that Choi's replacement may be extended into a larger-scale cabinet shakeup in view of the negative public attitude toward the Kim government.

Kim, encountered by a rapid fall in his popularity mainly due to an economic downturn in the second half of last year, promised late last year to overhaul the way he governs in order to regain popular confidence.

His aides publicly hinted at the time that Kim may conduct a shakeup of the cabinet and senior administration posts.

Kim did not take action, however, because, according to his aides, his approval ratings have bottomed out on the strength of the recovery, albeit slowly, of the economy.

Observers said that this time, however, Kim is facing greater pressure than last year as the healthcare system crisis, which draws wide critical media coverage, comes on the heels of controversies surrounding some ministers and government policy programs.

The opposition Grand National Party (GNP) has already demanded that Kim fire Foreign Minister Lee Joung-binn over the controversy regarding South Korea's position on the National Missile Defense (NMD).

Major newspapers also published a series of long articles looking into the problems in the nation's education system, which forced Kim to instruct Education and Human Resources Minister to "revive the public education system."

In addition to the domestic problems, President Kim faced negative media reports on his recent summit talks with U.S. President George W. Bush.

(sychon@koreaherald.co.kr)

By Chon Shi-yong Staff reporter

http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/html_dir/2001/03/21/200103210049.asp

-- Carl Jenkins (somewherepress@aol.com), March 20, 2001