By Chung Min-uck
Han Myeong-sook, chairwoman of the main opposition Democratic United Party (DUP), Monday slammed the head of the interim leadership committee of the Saenuri Party Park Geun-hye for flatly denying a link between her family and a controversial foundation.
Last week, the Seoul Central District Court dismissed a petition from the family of a deceased Busan-based businessman to retrieve shares forcibly taken from him by the late President Park Chung-hee. Park, the conservative party’s strongest presidential candidate, is the daughter of the ex-President.
Although the court acknowledged that the shares were taken forcibly from Kim Ji-tae, it said the statute of limitations for cancelling the action or receiving compensation had expired.
“Even the court admits that the foundation’s assets were illegally taken by the late President Park,” said Han during an interview. “Though Park denies her connection to the foundation everyone knows the truth. How could a person who appropriates people’s property say she will take care of people’s lives?”
Analysts say the opposition’s attack over the foundation, considered an Achilles’ heel for Park, is aimed at gaining the upper hand in the upcoming general and presidential elections by discrediting her.
The Jeongsu Scholarship Foundation was originally founded by Kim under the name of the Buil Scholarship Foundation in 1958. In 1962, Kim transferred the foundation, which had a 100 percent stake in the Busan Daily, a local newspaper publisher, and a 30 percent stake in major TV broadcaster MBC, to the state in return for the dropping of an arrest warrant issued against him on charges of illegal wealth accumulation.
Since then, the foundation has been run by aides and family members of the late President, with Park serving as the head of the board for 10 years from 1995.
It is now headed by Philip Choi, a former secretary of the late President.
During Park’s visit to Busan last week, she claimed that the management issue of the foundation “should be dealt with legally not politically” and denied any relationship with Choi.
Rising opposition presidential candidate Moon Jae-in also criticized Park for the “illegal acquisition” of the property.
“I believe Park Geun-hye has the ability to solve the problem,” Moon wrote on Twitter. “It is not that hard. The request from the bereaved family members is just to return the Jeongsu Scholarship Foundation back to the people of Busan. Fielding a board of directors from figures who are respected by the people will do. Not close aides.”