Opposition leadership pays tribute to late Pres. Park Chung-hee

Presidential candidates and leadership of the People Power Party visited the Seoul National Cemetery on Tuesday to pay tribute to the late former President Park Chung-hee to commemorate the 42nd anniversary of his death. 　

The main opposition party’s Chairman Lee Jun-seok, Floor Leader Kim Gi-Hyeon, presidential candidates, including Rep. Hong Jun-pyo, former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min, former Jeju Governor Won Hee-ryong, visited the gravesides of the late former President Park and First Lady Yuk Young-soo.

“I recall watching the funeral procession in front of the City Hall 42 years ago. It was very tragic,” said Rep. Hong. “The former president will be remembered for liberating the people from poverty,” said Ryu. “I thought about what Park, like the future-oriented innovator he was, would have done to give hope to the people,” said Won.

“The late former President Park laid the foundation for Korea’s industrial growth with insight,” said former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol, who visited the cemetery in the afternoon separately.　　

Yoon, who is under controversy of idealizing former President Chun Doo-hwan, is planning to visit Gwangju to pay tribute at the May 18 National Cemetery. “Yoon considered going to Gwangju right after the broadcasted debate held in Daejeon on Monday but decided to publicly announce the visit as it may appear to be spontaneous,” said an official with Yoon’s camp.

“Yoon’s visit is purposely designed so that he would be denounced by the people of Gwangju and portrayed as being oppressed by liberals to conservatives. The ‘show’ should be cancelled,” criticized a spokesperson of Hong’s presidential camp.


Kwan-Seok Jang jks@donga.com