Volunteering for President Park for 15 years

Lee Byoung-sook

By Chung Min-uck

Lee Byoung-sook, 56, former head of the ruling Saenuri Party’s situation room during the 2012 presidential election, has voluntarily supported President Park Geun-hye for 15 years since 1998 when Park entered the political arena as the Grand National Party (now Saenuri) candidate running in the by-election at Daegu’s Dalseong district.

“Devoting myself to her for the past 15 years, I know more than anyone how hard it was for Park to reach the position where she is at now,” said Lee in an interview with The Korea Times, Wednesday. “So I felt literally on top of the world when she was elected President last year.”

Asked why she volunteered for Park for such a long period, she said that she felt Park was the one who can devote herself entirely to the country without personal interest since both her father, the late former President Park Chung-hee, and her mother Yuk Young-soo were assassinated.

“Park is not married and has no family attachment. It is arguably true that she is married to the nation,” Lee said. “So to me, doing volunteer work for Park is like helping the nation walk the right path where there exist no abusing of power.”

Together with Park’s supporters, Lee said, she bought dishcloths, ice and coffee at their own expense during the memorial service of late Park and Yuk 14 years ago.

After Park gained a foothold in the political scene being elected the party chairwoman and becoming a party candidate vying for the presidential ticket in 2007, she followed Park everywhere from Seoul to the southernmost island of Jeju to help her campaigns.

Asked what she plans to do now that Park became the president, she said “I have done my part and what I do now is to support and promote Park’s policies through SNS, including tweets and writing comments on the internet.”

Lee said although she is personally close to Park, she was never offered a governmental position.

“My intention to help her was pure and I don’t seek for any compensation,” she said.

Lee runs a business with her husband.