Saenuri hopeful apologizes for late father's rule

Ruling Saenuri Party presidential hopeful Park Geun-hye on Friday apologized for her late father's authoritarian rule and pledged to push for sweeping change that can open a new chapter for Korea.

In a speech made at the memorial service for President Park Chung-hee, the 60-year-old politician said credit for the achievements made when he was in power should be given to the people, while she will bear the pain and suffering committed during his 18 years in office.

"It is now time to let my father go," she said, expressing deep remorse to everyone hurt by the chief executive, who was assassinated 33 years ago.

The comments come after Park said in a news conference on Sept. 24 that her father's actions, including the 1961 coup that brought the military officer to power, effectively delayed South Korea's political development and hurt the value of the Constitution.

The latest move is a sign that she wants to end the controversy sparked by her past remarks defending her father's legacy that has marred her presidential campaign and prevented her from getting her message of national unity across to the public.

The five-term lawmaker who is the first woman to win a presidential nomination from a major South Korean political party, added that she will dedicate herself to healing the pains of the past and do her utmost to help the country start afresh.

"I want to both unify the will of the people and correct mistakes so as to transform the country and allow it to enter a new path," she said at the service held at the National Cemetery in southern Seoul.

She pointed out that her father was the leader of a poor and weak country and his main concern at the time was centered on national survival and overcoming poverty.

Park said as the leader of a poor country, her father had to beg for assistance from foreign countries, which laid the foundation for growth, while South Koreans toiled in faraway lands so they could send back money to build factories.

As his daughter, the candidate said she wanted to create an era where those who contributed to the country's rapid industrialization and forces that helped it to become a full-fledged democracy can join forces and strive together to make a better tomorrow.

The memorial service, meanwhile, was attended by Han Gwang-ok, chief vice chairman of Saenuri's national reconciliation committee, who was chief of staff to late President Kim Dae-jung.

Kim was the main political opponent of Park's father.

Party watchers said that Park will try to do away with the political baggage of her father's legacy and resume her course toward unity and other key issues such as economic democratization with 54 days to go before the Dec. 19 polls.

They said that to give her apology more credence, the national reconciliation committee is expected to come up with plans to mend past injustices. (Yonhap)