By Park Si-soo
The leader of the largest opposition party sharply criticized President Lee Myung-bak and the ruling Saenuri Party, Wednesday, in a move to unite those opposed to the administration in the lead-up to the April 11 general election.
Han Myeong-sook, chairwoman of the Democratic United Party (DUP), said in a speech marking her one month at the helm that the Lee government has “proven to be incompetent and corruption-ridden,” calling on the President to make a public apology and comprehensively reshuffle the Cabinet.
Han said the ruling party’s interim leader Park Geun-hye cannot be free from criticism, demanding she be held liable for the “entire failure of state management.”
The DUP has been stepping up criticism of Lee and the ruling party ahead of the April vote, focusing on corruption scandals involving presidential aides and family members. The upcoming election is considered a crucial indicator gauging public sentiment ahead of the December presidential poll.
“President Lee should apologize to the people for the corruption and irregularities of this administration and replace the irresponsible and incompetent Cabinet en masse,” Han said during the speech at party headquarters in Seoul.
She urged the prosecution to thoroughly investigate a vote-buying scandal involving former National Assembly Speaker Park Hee-tae and former senior presidential aide Kim Hyo-jae in connection with the ruling party’s 2008 leadership election.
She also shed light on bribery allegations involving Lee’s close aides, his elder brother Lee Sang-deuk, and former head of the state media regulator Choi See-joong, who recently stepped down over his bribery allegations made against a close aide.
“The DUP will beat Lee’s Saenuri Party in the general election with pledges on jobs, a democratic economy and universal welfare program,” Han said.
The opposition leader portrayed Park as an “assistant sitting next to the driver’s seat,” a term meant to bundle one of the leading conservative presidential contenders with the embattled President.
Lee plans to hold a press conference next week to mark the fourth anniversary of his inauguration and outline policies for his final year in office. He is reportedly considering offering an apology over the corruption allegations.
Lee’s last year in office is being tarnished with corruption scandals, cementing his lame duck status. Those embroiled in scandals include Lee’s aides and his family members, including his elder brother and children.