Park’s Liberation Day speech likely to stress partnership with Japan

On August 15, 1974, when Yuk Young-soo, the then first lady and mother of President Park Geun-hye, was killed by an assassin during a ceremony marking the anniversary of liberation from Japan’s colonial rule, Park stopped studying in France and returned to Korea to begin playing the first lady’s role in her mother’s place. When Mun Segwang, a North Korean sympathizer from Japan, shot Yuk, President Park Chung-hee was delivering a celebratory address, announcing his three principles for peaceful reunification of the two Koreas.

Today, President Park Geun-hye plans to announce her strong commitment to peaceful reunification, as his father did 39 years ago. Among the three principles of 1974, “establishing peace on the Korean Peninsula” has already been included in her four major policy lines, while “restoration of trust” is contained in her “Korean Peninsula trust process” initiative.

It is said that in addition to the commitment to national reunification, President Park plans to deliver “messages of dreams and hope” and present a long-term vision for the country in her celebratory speech. Sources said that she does not plan to propose new initiatives such as “green growth” or “shared growth” presented by her predecessor, Lee Myung-bak, lest new initiatives reduce the driving force behind the implementation of the four major policy lines.

Regarding Japan, President Park plans to deliver a message of partnership and a warning against Japan’s whitewashing of wartime atrocities at the same time, sources said. However, she is still contemplating whether to directly mention the sensitive issues of Dokdo and comfort women.