Park Geun-hye and Queen Elizabeth I

Queen Elizabeth I (1533-1603) is always named as the most respected head of state by Britons in surveys. She filled her nation’s coffers with mercantilism, defeated the invincible Spanish Armada, and opened the Shakespearean era. Her successful rule was largely attributable to her outgoing nature and brilliant mind. She never wavered in her optimism in numerous crises. She was well versed in history and philosophy and spoke five languages including Latin, Greek and French. The queen also fended off many attempts by her enemies to seize her throne.

The queen`s leadership style is drawing attention as Park Geun-hye, the leading presidential contender of Korea`s ruling Saenuri Party, calls the queen her role model. “She turned England from a country teetering on the brink of insolvency to an empire where the sun never sets. She was compassionate about others because she had hard times and led the country with tolerance and reason,” Park said. Indeed, Park and the queen have a lot in common because they lost their parents to tragedy and remained single.

Queen Elizabeth I had a gloomy childhood. She was not called a princess because her mother Anne Boleyn was beheaded for treason. Her half-sister Mary annoyed her. Even worse was the indifference of her father, King Henry VIII. The king liked his sons so much but was indifferent to his daughters. Queen Elizabeth I had even no clothes to wear. Despite such adverse conditions, she managed to survive with strong discipline and honed her quality as a leader. Even after she took the throne, she was not always happy. She said in her later days, “Other people seem happy in a crown but if you wear it, you won’t be that happy.”

Queen Elizabeth I valued principles but was not a slave to them. She was flexible enough to grant the title of admiral to pirates. She was a good communicator who won the hearts and minds of her subordinates and people by manipulating symbols. She used her femininity in her rule, dressing up with fancy jewelry and granting herself authority like the Virgin Mary by declaring, “I am married to England.” Park cannot be Korea’s Queen Elizabeth I just because she has a similar family history or mimics the queen. She can be successful when she can internalize the queen’s quality and appearance.

Editorial Writer Chung Sung-hee (shchung@donga.com)