Opposition pres. runners target Park GH`s weaknesses

With the ruling Saenuri Party all but expected to nominate Park Geun-hye as its presidential candidate, contenders of the main opposition Democratic United Party have begun criticizing her alleged weaknesses.

Rep. Moon Jae-in, who is leading the main opposition party`s race for president, questioned Park’s view of history in focusing more on competition with her than with the rivals in his party.

Moon first brought up the controversial “blow up Dokdo” comment by Park`s father, the late President Park Chung-hee. The Dokdo islets are Korea`s easternmost islands that Japan has claimed sovereignty to.

On Thursday, Moon said on Twitter, “The death of (Korean patriot) Jang Jun-ha sustained democracy in Korea and resurrected it.” He likely decided to retweet this sentence because of a recent suspicion that Jang died under mysterious circumstances.

Main opposition party adviser Sohn Hak-kyu is planning to use his anti-Yushin image. The Yushin Constitution was President Park`s attempt to perpetuate his rule in 1972 via constitutional revision.

Sohn is also known to target Park`s limits on expansion, one of her alleged weaknesses. His supporters say Sohn is the only one who can isolate her by uniting centrists and leftists, adding those suspicious of her will vote for Sohn.

Former South Gyeongsang Province Gov. Kim Doo-kwan has welcomed the ruling party’s nomination of Rep. Park as its presidential candidate more than others. His slogan has been “Kim Doo-kwan, who serves the people vs. Park Geun-hye, whom the people serve” since he began his campaign for president.

Kim’s supporters say his life well reflects and represents that of the poor in stark contrast to Rep. Park, adding the people will soon notice Kim’s capacity.

Main opposition party members are also trying to woo supporters of the late former President Kim Dae-jung on the third anniversary of his death Saturday.

Moon attended a memorial service for Kim Dae-jung and said, “The late President Kim never succumbed to the threat of death and dedicated his life to democracy, human rights and peace on the Korean Peninsula.”

Former Unification Minister Lim Dong-won told a meeting, “Sohn is fully ready to be president of Korea,” adding, “A fully prepared candidate should be elected as president, not a overnight sensation,” in apparent reference to former IT guru Ahn Cheol-soo. Lim was recently appointed party adviser by Sohn.

Kim Doo-kwan is also scheduled to visit the grave of the late President Kim at the National Cemetery Saturday.

leon@donga.com