12 degrees of separation

This is my 4th presidential campaign in Korea. The posters haven't evolved much, and the animations at the crossroads still look about the same : mobile podiums blasting vibrating speeches, big screens, adjuma cheerleaders welcoming you out of your shop / subway station with fanatic songs praising a rather North Korean way their dear leaders... Christmas carols ahead of time, loud enough to cover up intense rumors of corruption...

11 candidates will try to prevent Lee Myung-bak from getting 50% of the ballots. 49M citizens will get a new leader for 3 years, and a new lame duck for 2... even if Seoul's former mayor changes the constitution to make 2 much needed changes for his successors : now that the democracy proved its sustainability, presidents should be allowed to run for a second mandate, and presidential elections should include a second round to clarify the political landscape (enough with this tradition of comical alliances and betrayals).

It's time to restore some dignity to an important function. Disapointed by ROH Moo-hyun's waste of trust (he held both the executive and legislative branches but balked in front of reforms - he did have to face a strange breed of justice, though...), netizens could decide to turn their back to the res publica and to focus on their virtual kingdoms instead.