One more apology

Park’s problem is not about history but democracy

Rep. Park Geun-hye, presidential candidate of the conservative Saenuri Party, expressed “somewhat evolved” views Monday about her father’s past misdeeds.

It’s a regret we can’t give higher marks to Park’s apology for the history related with nearly two decades of dictatorial rule by her father, the late President Park Chung-hee. True, she did what was necessary but difficult thing to do, as praised by one of her two liberal rivals, Ahn Cheol-soo.

She admitted the 1961 coup and Revitalizing Reform of the 1970s by the late leader “damaged the value of Constitution” and “delayed Korea’s political development.” Park also sincerely apologized to the victims and their family members for their sufferings under the military dictatorship.

It was also the first time Park explicitly used the word “apology,” instead of showing just “deep understanding” of their pain as in the past.

Even the main opposition Democratic United Party (DUP) and its candidate, Moon Jae-in, acknowledged Park made a welcome, if belated, move, while calling for concrete actions to show her changes. Park seems to have anticipated that much, vowing to establish a “Committee for Grand Unity of Nation.” She said her biggest vision is “grand national unity, 100-percent Republic of Korea, and people’s happiness.”

But it’s hard to know whether Park will go as far as accepting the DUP’s calls for making an apology and providing compensation to victims on a state level, while retroactively nullifying the 1970s constitution by the parliament. If the fifth-term lawmaker does so, she will be able to settle the history issue ― at least as a politician ― although that seems to be a very big if for now. Otherwise, her apology will remain as crocodile tears, a highly-politicized gesture.

Nothing showed this possibility than angry reactions from those who should be best judges of Park’s actions. “Park’s changed position came amid mounting popular criticism and a falling approval rating,” said a group representing the family members of victims of fabricated spy case the 1975. “We can’t trust her sincerity. This is deceiving the bereaved families and the people twice.”

Or, the families, citizens sympathetic to them and all other Koreans who want to see the rectification of historical justice may be expecting what they should not expect. If elected, Park may even be a good leader but not a democratic one.

As seen in Park’s introductory remarks in which she justified her father’s acts citing the circumstances of the times, and the need for economic growth and national security, her conviction in the late President’s value systems and his way of rule still seems absolute. The 60-year-old politician, the nation’s first female presidential nominee, started politics to follow the dying instructions of her father, as her new, tipsy spokesman reaffirmed to reporters at a private meeting Sunday.

It doesn’t require an immense historical sense to admit a coup as a coup, even though it was staged by one’s father. All it needs is some historical and democratic common sense. Bonaparte Napoleon was France’s hero, but few French people, except for fools and maniacs, deny he took power through a coup.

Park’s calls for 100-percent of Korea and grand unity are also slogans not fit for a 21st-century democracy. If Korean voters still want a pseudo-charismatic, less than democratic leader, she can walk down the red carpet. <The Korea Times>

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