By Jun Ji-hye
Rep. Park Geun-hye, the presidential candidate of the ruling Saenuri Party, said Thursday that she was willing to meet the families of victims in a 1974 spy ring trial who were executed but later exonerated.
“I will meet them if they agree to it,” Park told reporters.
Earlier in the day, Rep. Seo Byung-soo, Saenuri Party secretary-general, said “Park has expressed regret over the unfortunate incidents that occurred while her late father President Park Chung-hee was in office. I believe she will address the dark side of her late father’s legacy anytime she has the opportunity,” in an interview
Rep. Lee Sang-il, a spokesman of the party, told reporters that Park will likely make her position clear on her father’s controversial legacy before Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving holiday) falling on Sep. 30 this year. “I understand that she will address the issue in person soon.”
The ruling party’s reaction came as the case has become a political football after Park’s controversial remarks.
In a recent interview, she said “There were two contrasting court rulings” regarding the spy case.
In 1974, eight people were sentenced to death for spying for North Korea and were executed in 1975. But a court exonerated them and reversed the ruling in 2007 saying the spy agency fabricated the case, following the victims’ families filing a petition against the government over the original ruling.
Park’s comments leave room for her to question the second verdict saying it may have been fabricated by the administration in power then.
On Thursday, the main opposition Democratic United Party (DUP) attacked Park for the scandal.
DUP floor leader Rep. Park Jie-won questioned the Saenuri Party presidential candidate’s motives.
“I have no idea why she said (there were two different court rulings). Doesn’t she know what really happened or does she want to deny history? I will be suspicious if she attempts to repeat what her late father did while he was in power,” he said. “(The eight men who were involved in the case and executed) were found not guilty in 2007. If she didn’t know this, I think it’s fair for us to question her qualification as a presidential candidate.”
Rep. Lee Yong-seop, chief of the DUP’s policy planning committee, joined the chorus of criticism of Park’s interpretation of history.
He said, “I think Park needs to make it clear which she is going to follow, the Constitution or her late father. Whenever asked about 1961 military coup (through which her father took power) or the 1972 Yushin Constitution (that enabled the late President Park to rule for an extensive period), she avoids answering or just says historians will judge several controversial incidents. It is not a proper attitude for a person who wants to be president.”
Rep. Yoo Ki-hong added “The incidents that occurred in 1975, including spy scandal, are not just a matter concerning her father, but also concern her as she served as first lady at the time.”
Further criticism came after mixed reactions from two Saenuri Party spokesmen Wednesday. Rep. Hong Il-pyo apologized for Park’s remarks on the spy ring case, saying the ruling party admitted her comments were misleading. He added Park was aware that he was meeting with reporters. However, Lee Sang-il said “I don’t know if it was Hong’s personal opinion but his briefing was made without any prior communication with Park.”