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Fri, February 3, 2023 | 16:51
-------------------------
Memogate costs President credibility
'정윤회 문건' 파문, 대통령 지지율에 대한 영향은?
Posted : 2014-12-03 17:10
Updated : 2014-12-04 11:40
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President Park Geun-hye tastes local food during the Korea Regional Hope Expo at the Kim Dae-jung Convention Center in Gwangju, Wednesday. She said that the government plans to spend 2 trillion won ($1.79 billion) by 2018 to promote regional development. / Yonhap
President Park Geun-hye tastes local food during the Korea Regional Hope Expo at the Kim Dae-jung Convention Center in Gwangju, Wednesday. She said that the government plans to spend 2 trillion won ($1.79 billion) by 2018 to promote regional development. / Yonhap

By Kang Seung-woo


President Park Geun-hye is facing yet another challenge that may adversely affect, if not consume, her remaining three years in office.

In the unfolding "memogate scandal," her aides, former and incumbent, are waging a war of disclosures, hurting Park's credibility as a leader.

This internal feud on full display comes on the heels of a protracted traumatic period after the April 16 sinking of the ferry Sewol, which put the nation on hold for the six months that followed.

It is not an overstatement that unless the President manages to quell the incident promptly, she may become — nearly three months shy of her second anniversary in office — a lame duck.

"The ongoing incident will definitely hit her approval rating hard," said Hangil Research director Hong Hyeong-sik. "In addition, it is likely to cause a problem for President Park for the remainder of her presidency.

"In the future, the public will doubt any decision made by the presidential office, wondering whether the President made it or a close aide did."

He also said the public will be less likely to trust the government than before, which will push her into a lame-duck phase.

Hongik University professor Chung Goon-gi said, "The people will not be able to expect great things from the Park administration."

He added that the government is being discredited by the alleged power struggle and has given the opposition party the means for political attacks.

Rep. Park Jie-won of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy said Wednesday that President Park is on her way to lame-duck status faster than any president in history.

"Before the end of the second year, a power struggle took place and internal documents from the presidential office were leaked, both of which are a breach of national order," the lawmaker said in a party meeting.

Even the ruling Saenuri Party is worried about the potential for a lame-duck presidency.

"Unclear government operations and a lack of communication can bring about a secret authority group," Rep. Choung Byoung-gug told party members.

"If so, the government will lose public confidence and authority, which will lead to the President becoming a lame duck."

Critics say that the power struggle is a symptom of President Park's self-righteous, yet secretive governing style.

"All responsibility for the current situation falls on President Park's style of governance, only depending on her close aides instead of using the official chain of command," Chung said.

"When Park was a chairwoman of the ruling party, party members communicated with Park through her close aides. With Park taking office now, her close aides are empowered."

Hong said, "The current problem took place because Park tries to do everything herself or with a few people around her."

Park changing her governing style is the only solution to prevent such a scandal from repeating, political pundits said, although that seems to be unlikely.

"President Park already said that she will punish those who are found committing inappropriate acts regardless of their positions, and that is the answer," Hong said.

"However, it is doubtful she will act on her words."

The latest brouhaha started with reports Friday that Jeong Yun-hoe, a former aide to President Park, meddled in state affairs and high-level government appointments.

Jeong has proclaimed his innocence through media interviews on a near-daily basis, but Cho Eung-chon, a former secretary to the President for civil service discipline, countered in another interview, saying that there were many at Cheong Wa Dae who did not undergo the official confirmation process.

Cho is regarded as an acquaintance of the President's younger brother, Park Ji-man.


'정윤회 문건' 파문, 대통령 지지율에 대한 영향은?

박근혜 대통령의 지지율이 하락될지 귀추가 주목되고 있다. 임기 3년이 남아 있는 현재 국정농단 의혹인 '정윤회 게이트'가 어떤 상황으로 이어질지 의문이다.

이번 사건이 박근혜 대통령의 지도자로써의 신뢰도를 떨어뜨리고 있다는 의견이 나오고 있다.

박근혜 정부는 집권 2년 마무리를 앞두고 문건 파문이 이슈 블랙홀이 될 것이라는 우려 가운데 일각에서는 국민적 관심이 큰 만큼 차라리 이번 기회에 깨끗이 의혹을 풀자는 이야기도 흘러 나오고 있다.

현재 이 사건은 세월호 사건에 이어 국정을 6개월 동안 정지 상태에 놓았으며 집권 2년차를 3개월 앞두고 '레임덕 현상'의 가능성도 높아지고 있다.

한길연구소 홍형식 소장은  “이렇게 지속되는 사건들은 당연히 지지율에 큰 타격을 입힐 것“ 이라며  “또한 남은 집권 기간 동안에도 문제가 될 가능성이 높다 “고 말했다.

 “앞으로 국민들은 대통령이나 청와대에서 내려지는 결정들에 대해 신뢰를 잃을 것이며 대통령이 내린 지시인지 혹은 측근의 지시인지 의문이 생길 것“ 이라고 덧붙였다.

홍익대학교 정군기 교수는  “국민들은 박근혜 정부로부터 많은 것을 바라지 않는다“ 며 “현재 정부는 권력 다툼으로 인해 야당의 공격을 받을 가능성만 높여놨다”고 전했다.
Emailksw@ktimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
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