By Reuben Staines
Staff Reporter

Impeached President Roh Moo-hyun must be celebrating the Uri Party’s success in Thursday’s general elections. But experts believe the pro-Roh party’s victory is not so much a vote of confidence in the president as an expression of outrage at the opposition-led impeachment.

Mo Jong-ryn, professor of political economy at Yonsei University, said although Roh repeatedly linked his presidency to the elections, the impeachment and subsequent events during the campaign meant the fate of the president had only a minor influence on the outcome.

He said Roh’s supporters will cast the Uri Party’s strong performance as a renewal of the president’s mandate.

``Their claim would be that the voters more or less saved President Roh or came to his rescue,’’ he said.

But Mo argued that the public viewed the Roh’s performance in office and the impeachment as two separate issues when they cast their ballots.

``Even among those who say the impeachment vote was the key issue, they are not showing support for the president, they are just saying the opposition’s action was not well decided.’’

Mo said this is proved by opinion polls showing that opposition to the impeachment was considerably higher than actual support for Roh.

``The ruling party all along wanted to frame the election around the impeachment and they derived huge benefit from this.’’

Kang Won-taek, professor of politics at Soongsil University, agreed that the anti-impeachment sentiment was the main force driving the progressive party’s voters.

``This is not a clear sign of support for President Roh,’’ he said.

Even so, Kang said, the backing of a powerful Uri Party will revive Roh’s struggling presidency.

``This time Roh will be free to pursue his reform policies, which faced challenges from the opposition in the Assembly,’’ he explained.

Though the Constitutional Court has the final say on the impeachment, Kang said it is unlikely that it will rule against Roh given the Uri Party’s victory.

Roh rose early Thursday morning to cast his ballot in the Chongno constituency at a school nearby Chong Wa Dae.

``Everybody, let’s cast ballots,’’ he urged.

Roh had kept a low profile since the impeachment and yesterday was the first time for him to venture outside the presidential compound.

``He has wanted to very subtly influence the outcome, but if he was too outspoken it could backfire,’’ Mo said.

``One thing for sure is that Roh is very anxious to come back and feels alienated that he is not part of the action.’’

Impeached on charges of illegal campaigning, corruption and incompetence by the opposition, Roh is waiting on the Constitutional Court’s verdict to see if he can return to office.

rjs@koreatimes.co.kr