Park Geun-hye bashing shakes up politics as poll nears

Negative campaign against presidential front-runner Park Geun-hye by her ruling and opposition party rivals seems to be escalating out of control, just six months ahead of December's presidential polls.

Earlier this week, a confidant of President Lee Myung-bak triggered a controversy by saying it is too early for South Korea to be ruled by a female president.

Rep. Lee Jae-oh of the ruling Saenuri Party questioned Park's leadership ability, citing her being a woman and lacking military experience in a country that still remains technically at war with North Korea.

All healthy South Korean men are conscripted to serve about two years in the military to help deter North Korea's possible aggression, and women can join the military as volunteers.

Lee said Monday it is still "premature" for South Korea to have a female president, although it may be possible once the divided Koreas are unified and at peace.

Lee's comment illustrated the male dominance that is deeply ingrained in the Asian country's Confucian tradition, even as a growing number of women have started to play bigger roles in South Korean society in recent decades.

The highest government post a woman has held in South Korea was that of prime minister in 2006.

Park, the former interim leader of the Saenuri Party and daughter of late President Park Chung-hee, has been leading opinion polls for the December presidential election.

Park consolidated her standing as a leading presidential hopeful after rebuilding the once-beleaguered party with sweeping reform measures and leading it to an unexpected victory in the April general elections. Lee's single five-year term as president ends in February 2013 and he is barred by law from seeking re-election.

Park's supporters immediately denounced Rep. Lee's criticism of Park as "absurd" and "out of control."

On Tuesday, Park also flatly dismissed Lee's comments.

"Is there still a person who thinks against (a female president) in this 21st century?" Park asked in front of reporters, as she entered a conference hall at the National Assembly.

Meanwhile, Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Moon-soo also made what was considered a thinly veiled attack on Park for never having married. Kim said he thought being single could be hypocrisy and that he got married because he could not lead an ascetic life like a nun or monk.

Kim's office insisted his comment was not aimed at any specific person, but many believed Kim was referring to Park, who has never been married.

Separately, former Deputy Prime Minister Han Wan-sang accused Park of being more authoritarian than her father in controlling the ruling party. Park has thus far been reticent about her presidential candidacy and other political issues. (Yonhap)