Park in dilemma over New Year address

President Park Geun-hye delivers opening remarks during the 2015 Women’s New Year greeting event at the Korea Women’s Development Institute in Bulgwang-dong in Seoul, Friday. / Yonhap

By Kang Seung-woo

Ahead of a New Year’s press conference, President Park Geun-hye appears to be in dilemma over whether or not to apologize for the “memogate“ scandal.

The President is scheduled to give her national address at 10 a.m. Monday.

Although Cheong Wa Dae wants the press conference to mainly deal with North Korea issues and the government’s drive for economic revival, there is speculation that Park may express regret over the scandal that featured an alleged power struggle at the presidential office.

“Nothing has been decided yet on the details of her address,“ presidential spokesman Min Kyung-wook told reporters Thursday.

The presidential office plans to take advantage of the press conference to shake off the scandal and retighten Park’s grip on state affairs in the third year of her presidential term following the prosecution’s investigation result that all allegations regarding the scandal were groundless.

As a result, there is widespread speculation that Park will not replace people linked to the brouhaha, including presidential chief of staff Kim Ki-choon.

However, amid escalating criticism that no one at the presidential office took responsibility for the scandal that threw the nation into turmoil, Cheong Wa Dae showed signs of shift in its stance Friday.

“I have deeply looked back on myself over the shameful incident,“ Kim told lawmakers during a meeting of the National Assembly Steering Committee.

“I feel sorry for causing concern to the people and lawmakers.“

Vowing to tighten discipline among members of the presidential office to prevent any recurrence, he stressed that he and his officials will concentrate on carrying out their primary duty of assisting the President in her handling of state affairs.

Kim’s apology indicates that President Park may follow suit in her televised address.

“We are well aware of the public disappointment at Cheong Wa Dae’s handling of those who have to do with the scandal,“ said an official at the presidential office.

Political pundits expect President Park to at least express her regret over the scandal.

“As part of efforts to settle the issue, President Park is expected to theoretically show regret,“ said Prof. Chung Goon-go at Hongik University.

“At this point, other conditions including the economy are not favorable to Park, so she may pick that option.“

Prof. Choi Chang-ryul of Yongin University said, “As the presidential chief of staff apologized, Park is also expected to express regret.”

He also expects Park to mention a possible reshuffle of presidential staff, given that the scandal put the nation in turmoil.

Along with the apology, her road map to the normalization of inter-Korean relations will be at the center of the address, as well.

In last year’s New Year press conference, Park made headlines, calling reunification an “economic bonanza.“

In addition, there is a burgeoning reconciliatory mood between the two Koreas after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said on the first day of the year that he is open to an inter-Korean summit.

“Considering the 70th anniversary of liberation from Japan’s colonial rule, Park is likely to come up with a forward-looking policy,“ said Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies.

He continued, “Her announcement will be within the Dresden Declaration, aimed to expand humanitarian aid to North Korean people and build infrastructure there, but she will be focused on normalizing bilateral relations and avoiding criticizing the North.“