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Fri, December 1, 2023 | 08:33
Today's polls to serve as confidence vote on Park
지방선거 결과, 朴대통령 국정운영 향배좌우
Posted : 2014-06-03 17:08
Updated : 2014-06-03 22:33
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By Kang Seung-woo

President Park Geun-hye and the tragic April 16 Sewol disaster will mostly likely affect the result of the June 4 local elections.

In the wake of the ferry sinking that left more than 300 people dead or missing, the elections are regarded as a mid-term test for the sitting government amid a lingering public outcry against its botched response to the accident.

As a result, the Saenuri Party is employing "Park Geun-hye marketing," calling on voters to save the President and give her another chance by supporting the ruling party so that it can effectively manage state affairs. The main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD), for its part, has called for a judgment of the government over the ferry sinking.

"President Park is now in charge of administering affairs of state," Saenuri Party floor leader Lee Wan-koo said Tuesday in a radio interview at which Kim Doo-kwan, the NPAD campaign co-chairman, and Justice Party floor leader Sim Sang-jeung were also present.

"We have unlimited responsibility for the accident, but nevertheless, Korea needs to go forward."

Lee also said in a rally at Busan Station that the Saenuri Party should win in the local elections for President Park to reform the nation.

In addition, some party candidates running for mayors and governors gathered at Seoul Station, Sunday, and begged the people to rescue the President to better guide the nation.

Against this, the NPAD has adopted a strategy that stresses the government's failed rescue operation.

"The incompetent government failed to save any survivors, but the Saenuri Party is just trying to save the President. People will judge the irresponsibility of the ruling party," NPAD Co-Chairman Kim Han-gil said at a party meeting.

Floor leader Park Young-sun said: "The people should hold the government responsible for the failed rescue operation. The Saenuri Party asks for one more chance, but it is blocking the parliamentary fact-finding investigation into the accident and we need to issue a red card to them."

Meanwhile, the local elections are expected to be a turning point for the future of the Park administration.

After the accident, Park, who took office in February 2013, saw her approval ratings drop below 50 percent for the first time in more than a year due to the botched initial response.

In addition, with the ruling party behind in some main battlefields, Cheong Wa Dae is being cautious about the election results.

"As the local elections have historically not been favorable to the ruling party, we do not have any particular expectations," a presidential office official told Yonhap News.

"But in some areas, ruling party candidates are doing well against their opponents."

The local elections will choose 17 provincial governors and mayors as well as municipal government heads, council members and educational superintendents.


지방선거 결과, 朴대통령 국정운영 향배좌우

'정국 승부처' 지방선거 민심에 촉각…朴대통령 내일 오전 투표
완패시 '조각' 수준 인적쇄신 불가피할듯…靑 개편도 커질 가능성


하루 앞으로 다가온 6·4 지방선거 결과는 박근혜 대통령의 국정운영 기조에 큰 영향을 미치는 분기점으로 작용할 공산이 크다.

세월호 참사를 계기로 불거진 민심 이반으로 이번 선거는 당초 프레임과는 달리 박근혜 정부에 대한 중간평가 색채가 짙어졌다는 게 대체적인 평가다.

집권여당이 적극적인 `박근혜 마케팅'을 통해 박 대통령을 지켜달라고 나섰고, 이에 맞서 야당인 새정치민주연합이 정권심판론을 재삼 강조하고 있는 것이 그 증좌다.

이 때문에 선거결과는 집권 2년차의 중간지점을 향해 가고 있는 박 대통령의 국정운영에 상당한 여파를 줄 수밖에 없다고 관계자들은 입을 모은다.

선거를 하루 앞둔 2일 청와대는 선거결과에 촉각을 곤두세우는 분위기다. 청와대의 한 관계자는 3일 연합뉴스와의 통화에서 '지방선거는 늘 여당의 무덤이었기 때문에 특별히 기대는 안한다'면서도 '다만 일부 지역은 접전이라고들 언론에서 이야기하니까 우리도 그러지 않을까 생각하는 것'이라고 은근한 기대감을 표시했다. 그러나 '긴장을 안할 수 있겠는가'라고 내심 초조한 속내를 드러내기도 했다.

특히 청와대는 이날 선거로 드러날 민심소재에 주목하면서 총리 인선과 안보라인의 완성, 내각개편 등 향후 정치일정을 가다듬은 것으로 알려졌다.

우선 막바지 검증 작업이 진행 중인 총리 후보는 지방선거 후 가까운 시일 안에 발표될 전망이다. 박 대통령은 2일 수석비서관회의에서 국민이 요구하는 국가개혁의 적임자라는 인선기준을 제시했다. 중진급 정치인이나 도덕성을 갖춘 사회명망가의 발탁이 점쳐진다.

2기 내각 인선은 후임 총리가 국회 인사청문회를 통과해 제청권을 행사해야 해 이달말이나 윤곽을 드러낼 것으로 보인다. 수도권 '완패' 등을 포함해 집권 여당이 선거에서 패배한 것으로 결론나면 총리 인선을 포함한 개각은 거의 조각 수준의 큰 폭으로 이뤄질 전망이다.

민심의 부정적 흐름이 확인된 상황에서 '회전문 인사'와 같은 '일상적' 해법을 내놓는다면 집권 2년차 국정 운영이 심각한 난관에 봉착할 수 있기 때문이다.

청와대도 인적 쇄신의 흐름에서 벗어나기 힘들 전망이다. 박 대통령이 '기춘대원군'으로 불리며 야당발(發) 사퇴요구에 직면한 김기춘 비서실장을 비롯해 청와대 핵심 참모진의 교체에 나설지 주목된다.

이와 함께 그동안 '만기친람'과 '불통'이라는 비판을 받았던 박 대통령의 국정운영 방식이 변하는 계기가 될지도 관심이다. 정부의 모든 일을 혼자서 챙기는 듯한 모습보다는 책임총리와 책임장관제를 구현하고, 이를 활용함으로써 국정운영의 책임을 분산해야 한다는 지적도 나온다.

박 대통령이 전날 청와대에서 정의화 국회의장과 만나 '야당과의 소통에 신경을 써달라'고 요청했는데 박 대통령 자신도 향후 야당을 비롯한 정치권과의 소통을 강화할지 주목된다.

다만 이번 선거결과가 적어도 여당의 '선전'으로 귀결될 경우, 총리 인선을 포함한 개각과 청와대 개편 등 인적쇄신의 규모가 작아질 수 있다는 관측도 있다. 선거를 통해 국민으로부터 일종의 '재신임'을 받는 효과가 있어서다.

한편 박 대통령은 취임 후 처음 맞는 전국단위 선거를 맞아 선거 당일 오전에 투표할 예정이다. (연합뉴스)
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