Park expected to increase activities for next year’s elections
By Lee Tae-hoon
President Lee Myung-bak and Rep. Park Geun-hye, former chairwoman of the ruling Grand National Party (GNP), agreed Friday to seek unity of conservatives during a one-on-one meeting at Cheong Wa Dae.
Park said she told Lee that the GNP and the Lee administration should "put a focus on people's livelihood and move toward unity rather than division" to regain public trust.
“Lee and I shared understanding that we must unite to tackle welfare issues and win back public trust,” Park said in a rare press conference at her office at the National Assembly, following the meeting.
The gathering between the two biggest conservative leaders came amid growing tensions between the GNP and the government over corporate tax cuts, college tuition fees and welfare policies after pro-Lee figures’ defeat in inter-party leadership race last month.
On May 5, Rep. Hwang Woo-yea, who is known to close to Park, took over the party’s interim leadership through a floor leadership race in an unexpected victory against political heavyweights of the party royal to President Lee.
Both Hwang and Park are known to put a higher priority on welfare policies, as to President Lee and his followers are advocates of growth-driven policies, including the lowering of corporate tax rates.
Nevertheless, Hwang and Park’s call for greater welfare policies are gaining momentum as the GNP strives to restore voter confidence ahead of next year's parliamentary and presidential elections.
A sense of crisis has deepened with the governing party following the conservative party’s humiliating defeat in April's by-elections, in which it only secured one out of the four crucial seats, including the Gangwon Province mayor post and the Bundang B lawmaker seat.
“I’ve asked President Lee to remove welfare blind spots and seek ways to reduce tuition fees for college students,” she said.
The GNP lawmaker added that she and President Lee reached an agreement that the government should push a systematic and structural reform to address the tuition problem and better support people in need of help.
Park said President Lee appears to be concerned about the tuition issue and hinted that he would soon announce certain measures to tackle the issue.
Lee and Park last held face-to-face talks in August 2010.
Sources say they also exchanged views on addressing a deepening feud between rival factions of the governing Grand National Party over how to deal with the snowballing savings bank scandal.
GNP floor leader Hwang agreed in principle with the main opposition Democratic Party to launch a joint parliamentary probe into the scandal at an extraordinary session this month.
The decision triggered a backlash from lawmakers affiliated with President Lee, who are concerned about the possible negative impact on Lee’s presidency.
Hwang has also pushed for the abolishment of a government plan to reduce income and corporate taxes, a move that has been opposed by Lee’s followers.
Observers say the rivalry inside the GNP could intensify as parties step up preparations for next year’s general and presidential elections.
Park, who lost to Lee in the GNP’s primary race to pick its candidate for the 2007 presidential election, is now the leading candidate for the next presidency.
Attention is being heaped on Park’s next move amid speculation that the 58-year-old four-term lawmaker may step up her activities concerning next year’s elections.
Lee’s aides have expressed concern that her moves for the presidential election could weaken Lee’s grip on state affairs and make him an early lame duck. His single five-year term will end in February 2013.
GNP officials said they hope that Friday’s meeting will help Lee mend fences with Park and resolve the deep-rooted division between their rival factions.