Nam Hyun-woo has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2013, mostly covering business and politics. He currently belongs to the Business Desk where he covers topics such as emerging tech, AI, ICT and Korea's chaebol community. Prior to joining the team, he was the paper's correspondent for the presidential office of Korea during the Yoon Suk Yeol and Moon Jae-in administrations.
Yoon vows to revive spirit of ex-president Park Chung-hee
President Yoon Suk Yeol talks with former President Park Geun-hye during a ceremony to commemorate the 44th anniversary of the death of Park's father, former President Park Chung-hee, at Seoul National Cemetery in Dongjak District, Thursday. Courtesy of presidential office
By Nam Hyun-woo
President attends former president's memorial ceremony to seek unity of conservatives
President Yoon Suk Yeol attended a memorial ceremony honoring former conservative President Park Chung-hee and met his daughter and former President Park Geun-hye, Thursday, in what appears to be an effort to seek the support of conservative voters before next year’s general elections.
The ceremony was held at Seoul National Cemetery in Dongjak District, to mark the 44th anniversary of Park Chung-hee’s death. Yoon attended the ceremony just hours after he arrived from a six-day trip to Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
It was the first times for a serving president to attend the ceremony, which has been taking place every year since 1980.
“Former President Park Chung-hee rallied our citizens under the slogan, 'we’ll make it if we try,’ and propelled the country’s industrialization, which is a historic global milestone known as the Miracle on the Han River,” Yoon said, describing Park as “a great leader.”
“He instilled national pride in our people and harnessed the untapped potential of Koreans, so that they can be united as a great people. In this time of a comprehensive global crisis, we have to rekindle his spirit and achievements and make the country take another leap forward.”
President Yoon Suk Yeol pays tribute to former President Park Chung-hee's grave during a ceremony to commemorate the 44th anniversary of his death at the Seoul National Cemetery in Dongjak District, Thursday. Courtesy of presidential office
The late Park served as president from 1963 until he was assassinated on Oct. 26, 1979. He still commands huge support from Korea’s conservatives, despite contradicting assessments on his achievements in driving the country’s economic growth and industrialization from the ashes of the Korean War, while ruling the country as a dictator.
“After taking office, I met 92 international leaders and discussed economic partnerships, and all of them showed their respect for Korea’s rapid development, which was achieved by late President Park Chung-hee,” Yoon said. “And I told them to study Park to be able to facilitate rapid growth.”
During the ceremony, Yoon also expressed his condolences to Park’s daughter. It was the third time that the two met after Yoon won the presidential election in March last year.
Yoon also has a thorny relationship with the junior Park. She served as president from 2013 to 2017 until she was impeached due to her involvement in a large corruption scandal, and Yoon was one of the lead prosecutors investigating that scandal.
“People are saying we are facing various challenges, but I believe our government and the people will overcome them,” the former president said.
“Looking back, there hasn't been a time in Korea's history without challenges… but our remarkable citizens overcame all these hardships,” she said. “And I believe my father, myself and others who are here today share the same dream that Korea can achieve prosperity and happiness through cohesion and understanding.”
President Yoon Suk Yeol shakes hands with former President Park Geun-hye during a ceremony to commemorate the 44th anniversary of the death of Park's father, former President Park Chung-hee, at the Seoul National Cemetery in Dongjak District, Thursday. Joint Press Corps
Yoon's presence at the ceremony was widely seen as an attempt to unite conservatives ahead of the general elections next April.
Following the ruling People Power Party's (PPP) resounding defeat in a by-election to select a Seoul district mayor earlier this month, Yoon's job approval ratings, as well as those of the PPP, have been plummeting in recent polls, particularly in their strongholds in the Gyeongsang Provinces.
Since the PPP’s mainstream is now made up of Yoon's loyalists, there are concerns that the president caused a rift among conservatives while phasing out those who were loyal to Park.
In line with this view, there are rumors that Park's loyalists are considering running as independent candidates in the election, raising concerns over the conservative bloc’s division.
Against this backdrop, Yoon’s attendance at the ceremony and tribute to the late president are viewed as an effort to rally conservatives’ support.
According to presidential spokesperson Lee Do-woon, Yoon and Park had conversations while burning incenses at the late president’s tomb. Although the conversations between Yoon and Park during the ceremony were not revealed to the media, pundits suspect that they could have exchanged views on the general elections and ways to unite conservatives.