Chairwoman Park’s New Year’s Press Interview

Chairwoman Park Geun-hye of Grand National Party (GNP) proposed on Wednesday, “The current situation is in an emergency in the failure of the people’s livelihood. Let’s make this year a ‘non-political strife year’ to stabilize the people’s livelihood.”

Chairwoman Park expressed such stance at the new year’s press interview held at the GNP headquarters, saying, “I am willing to have an open-minded conversation with President Roh Moo-hyun anytime to talk about major changes in state affairs and towards a non-political strife government.”

Subsequently, Chairwoman Park stated that she will “willingly accept” the “Advanced Society Agreement” that Uri Party Chairman Lim Chae-jung had proposed during the new year’s press interview.

Also, Chairwoman Park said, concerning the after-measures of opening the Japan-Korea agreement related documents, “Since the country was facing extreme poverty at that time, thereby, using their (victims of Japanese imperialism) money for economic development, all of us are indebted to them. After revealing the truth behind the issue of taking away their rights to claim, we should look into ways for government compensation to them.”

Concerning the National Security Law, she demanded, “At the end of last year, we gave way to National Security Law Article 7 (praise•incitation crime), but it did not proceed because the ruling party were so obstinate for abolishing the law. I hope to see changes in the ruling party.”

Yeon-Wook Jung jyw11@donga.com