Park Geun-hye Confident About Election

Park Geun-hye, a GNP presidential hopeful, said on Wednesday that, “I feel positive about my chances to win the party primary election.” In an exclusive interview with this newspaper at her office for the primary election in Seoul, she said, “I think that the party’s policy debates underway on candidates helped people and the party members assess and evaluate which candidate is better prepared, and who is more appropriate to lead the nation, which has considerable influence on the approval ratings.”

She argued that, “The competitiveness for the presidential elections requires many credentials including policies, morals, views on the nation, credibility, and one’s actions. More verification is ahead in the presidential election, and only those who pass will be able to throne to power.”

The former GNP chairperson revealed her strong confidence, saying that, “I believe that my economic, diplomatic, and North Korean policies will enable the nation to advance and I am confident they will. I have many experiences in more fields than anyone else has.”

Responding to suspicions of her illicit financial activities regarding Youngnam University Jeongsu scholarship fund, she refuted them in a firm voice and said that, “I don’t think they are problematic. They are just false incriminations against me. If there was something wrong, previous governments would have taken issue with them.”

She also dismissed allegations that Reverend Choi Tae-min (who died in 1994) used her influence to commit wrongdoing since the mid 1970s. She explained that, “After receiving the Central Intelligence Agency’s report, my father (former president Park Jung-hee) ordered further investigations which turned out to be make-believe stories. There was not a single person who was swindled or defrauded of money. If my father found out something suspicious, he would never have let things get overlooked. Such allegations are all groundless.”

Recently, lawmakers from the pro-government forces have attacked Park and Lee, the two presidential candidates for the GNP. Jang Young-dal, the floor leader of the ruling Uri Party said that, “We obtained materials that will defeat Lee and Park.” In response to such remarks, she said that, “Their mud-slinging against us is nothing but business as usual. They should break from the old mindset. Isn’t the Uri Party’s catch phrase ‘clean politics’? Contrary to their campaign promise, their continuing libel constitutes negative defamation. If they have such materials, they should display them.”

Park Sang-cheon, the chairman of the Democratic Party, recently said, “Winning against Park Geun-hye [than Lee] is easier.” In regard to this, Park responded that, “When he served as the party chairman, he and other parties never defeated me in an election. I think he said the opposite of what he has in mind.”

She also criticized president Roh for his political remarks in relation to the decision of the National Election Commission, saying that, “A president should be responsible for providing fair presidential elections. Nonetheless, he recently received several warnings from the NEC for violations of election laws. It is shameful for a president to be implicated as such.” She also mentioned her opinion regarding former president Kim Dae-jung’s remarks on the election, saying, “Former presidents should show restraint to maintain their political neutrality.”

sunshade@donga.com