By Kang Seung-woo
President Park Geun-hye's apparent lack of understanding in her responses to the continuing "memogate" scandal has raised eyebrows.
On Sunday, Park flatly rejected allegations that a group of her core former and incumbent aides meddled in state affairs, describing it as an attack on her administration.
Political pundits say that the President seems to have problems in assessing the political situation.
"I think that the President does not take the ongoing conditions seriously," said Prof. Chung Goon-gi of Hongik University. "With three years still remaining, she seems to be just pushing through the scandal."
During a meeting with top officials of the ruling Saenuri Party and other staff at Cheong Wa Dae, Park again complained about memogate.
"It is a shame that false rumors have unsettled the whole nation," Park said.
"With the national economy in emergency mode, I ask the ruling party to prevent such wasteful allegations and disputes from dealing another blow to the administration."
The political scandal centers on a leaked internal document from the presidential office drawn up by a former Cheong Wa Dae official, indicating that Park's former aide, Jeong Yun-hoe, and Park Ji-man, her younger brother, were engaged in a power struggle.
"Jeong left me a long time ago and we have not contacted each other. I keep my brother away from Cheong Wa Dae after failed management of relatives by previous administrations," she said, calling the alleged power struggle "nonsense."
"Nothing can unsettle me and I have a strong faith."
The prosecution said Sunday that it is planning to ask Jeong to appear on Tuesday or Wednesday for questioning about the allegations. Prosecutors added that they are set to wrap up their investigation by the end of this week.
Last week, Park described the leak as an unimaginable breach of national security during a meeting with her senior presidential secretaries.
The presidential office is under fire for allegedly highlighting who leaked the document rather than investigating whether Park's former aide, Jeong Yun-hoe, influenced state affairs.
"The people believe that the presidential office should resolve the issue. However, it failed to comprehend public opinion and just tossed the matter over to the prosecution, while claiming they are innocent," said Hangil Research director Hong Hyeong-sik.
"Her remarks on Sunday indicate that Park still depends on her confidants for managing state affairs."
Hong added that it was important to find out who leaked the document, but with further allegations implicating her aides emerging, the sticking point remains whether or not Jeong meddled in state affairs.
"After a daily reported the suspicions without properly confirming them, other news media have continued to make absurd allegations. I want you to watch the result of the prosecution's probe into the case without being swayed by such unilateral allegations," Park said.
Chung said, "It will be difficult for prosecutors to come up with a result contradicting the President."
Meanwhile, rival parties are bracing for a standoff over the scandal.
While former government officials continue to fuel the spiraling political storm, waging a war of disclosures, the possible participation of Park Ji-man, the President's younger brother, is likely to lead another standoff, similar to that seen over the contents of the special "Sewol" bill earlier this year.
The National Assembly is scheduled to open a session on Dec. 15 to fast-track pending bills, but there are growing concerns that it may end up in a fierce battle, putting the ruling Saenuri Party in defensive mode against the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD)'s harsh criticism of President Park.
The NPAD voiced a complaint at the President's Sunday meeting with Saenuri Party's top officials and members of the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts at Cheong Wa Dae.
"Rather than making a public apology for the allegations including her close aides, she has ordered prosecutors on how to investigate the case," NPAD spokesman Rep. Park Soo-hyun said after the meeting.
"What the people are really aware of is that the country was swayed by her confidants. Cheong Wa Dae and the Saenuri Party should know that the allegations have exhausted the patience of the people."
However, the Saenuri Party defended Park, calling the allegations "malicious propaganda."
"Such campaigns derail government operations. We urge the NPAD to stop malicious political attacks," said Saenuri spokeswoman Rep. Kim Hyun-sook.
In addition, the first two days of the extra session will allow lawmakers to question pending issues, while the political war is expected to reach fever pitch.
The Saenuri Party is poised to push through bills in the parliament aimed at reforming the pension system for government official and revitalizing the sluggish economy.
However, it remains to be seen if the ruling side will be able to pursue its plans. Further allegations regarding memogate are emerging on an almost daily basis and a minority group within the ruling party is urging the renewal of personnel at Cheong Wa Dae.
The NPAD is set to take advantage of the ongoing scandal in order to recover its falling support.
As part of its attack on President Park, the party is seeking a special prosecutor and a parliamentary hearing to investigate the allegations.
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| President Park Geun-hye |
On Sunday, Park flatly rejected allegations that a group of her core former and incumbent aides meddled in state affairs, describing it as an attack on her administration.
Political pundits say that the President seems to have problems in assessing the political situation.
"I think that the President does not take the ongoing conditions seriously," said Prof. Chung Goon-gi of Hongik University. "With three years still remaining, she seems to be just pushing through the scandal."
During a meeting with top officials of the ruling Saenuri Party and other staff at Cheong Wa Dae, Park again complained about memogate.
"It is a shame that false rumors have unsettled the whole nation," Park said.
"With the national economy in emergency mode, I ask the ruling party to prevent such wasteful allegations and disputes from dealing another blow to the administration."
The political scandal centers on a leaked internal document from the presidential office drawn up by a former Cheong Wa Dae official, indicating that Park's former aide, Jeong Yun-hoe, and Park Ji-man, her younger brother, were engaged in a power struggle.
"Jeong left me a long time ago and we have not contacted each other. I keep my brother away from Cheong Wa Dae after failed management of relatives by previous administrations," she said, calling the alleged power struggle "nonsense."
"Nothing can unsettle me and I have a strong faith."
The prosecution said Sunday that it is planning to ask Jeong to appear on Tuesday or Wednesday for questioning about the allegations. Prosecutors added that they are set to wrap up their investigation by the end of this week.
Last week, Park described the leak as an unimaginable breach of national security during a meeting with her senior presidential secretaries.
The presidential office is under fire for allegedly highlighting who leaked the document rather than investigating whether Park's former aide, Jeong Yun-hoe, influenced state affairs.
"The people believe that the presidential office should resolve the issue. However, it failed to comprehend public opinion and just tossed the matter over to the prosecution, while claiming they are innocent," said Hangil Research director Hong Hyeong-sik.
"Her remarks on Sunday indicate that Park still depends on her confidants for managing state affairs."
Hong added that it was important to find out who leaked the document, but with further allegations implicating her aides emerging, the sticking point remains whether or not Jeong meddled in state affairs.
"After a daily reported the suspicions without properly confirming them, other news media have continued to make absurd allegations. I want you to watch the result of the prosecution's probe into the case without being swayed by such unilateral allegations," Park said.
Chung said, "It will be difficult for prosecutors to come up with a result contradicting the President."
Meanwhile, rival parties are bracing for a standoff over the scandal.
While former government officials continue to fuel the spiraling political storm, waging a war of disclosures, the possible participation of Park Ji-man, the President's younger brother, is likely to lead another standoff, similar to that seen over the contents of the special "Sewol" bill earlier this year.
The National Assembly is scheduled to open a session on Dec. 15 to fast-track pending bills, but there are growing concerns that it may end up in a fierce battle, putting the ruling Saenuri Party in defensive mode against the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD)'s harsh criticism of President Park.
The NPAD voiced a complaint at the President's Sunday meeting with Saenuri Party's top officials and members of the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts at Cheong Wa Dae.
"Rather than making a public apology for the allegations including her close aides, she has ordered prosecutors on how to investigate the case," NPAD spokesman Rep. Park Soo-hyun said after the meeting.
"What the people are really aware of is that the country was swayed by her confidants. Cheong Wa Dae and the Saenuri Party should know that the allegations have exhausted the patience of the people."
However, the Saenuri Party defended Park, calling the allegations "malicious propaganda."
"Such campaigns derail government operations. We urge the NPAD to stop malicious political attacks," said Saenuri spokeswoman Rep. Kim Hyun-sook.
In addition, the first two days of the extra session will allow lawmakers to question pending issues, while the political war is expected to reach fever pitch.
The Saenuri Party is poised to push through bills in the parliament aimed at reforming the pension system for government official and revitalizing the sluggish economy.
However, it remains to be seen if the ruling side will be able to pursue its plans. Further allegations regarding memogate are emerging on an almost daily basis and a minority group within the ruling party is urging the renewal of personnel at Cheong Wa Dae.
The NPAD is set to take advantage of the ongoing scandal in order to recover its falling support.
As part of its attack on President Park, the party is seeking a special prosecutor and a parliamentary hearing to investigate the allegations.
