MB assuaging 'annoyed' Park over memoir

By Kang Seung-woo

Former President Lee Myung-bak has attempted to soothe relations with his successor, President Park Geun-hye, over the contents of his controversial memoir.

“A Lee aide recently called Cheong Wa Dae to explain Lee’s excuses regarding his book,” presidential spokesman Min Kyung-wook said at a briefing on Monday.

He added that the aide told the presidential official not to misunderstand the contents of the book, titled, “The President’s Time,” ― an account of Lee’s experiences in office from February 2008 to February 2013.

The book, available from Monday, has created plenty of buzz ahead of its release.

According to advance excerpts released last week, President Park Geun-hye opposed Lee’s revision to a 2009 plan to relocate government ministries and agencies for political reasons.

However, Cheong Wa Dae refuted this claim on Friday and expressed its regret over the book, indicating a possible clash between the former and incumbent administrations.

Park’s office also censured Lee for unveiling North Korea’s secret demands on a conditional inter-Korean summit when he was in office. It said such a disclosure could undermine Park’s efforts to thaw inter-Korean relations.

With the book emerging as a hot issue in political circles, Lee’s camp has stepped in to temper the controversy.

On Sunday, Kim Du-woo, Lee’s former senior secretary of public relations, said that the former president did not intend to cause so much controversy by publishing the book.

“The book is taking an unintended direction as if there is a feud between the former and sitting administrations, which is not right,” Kim said.

Kim also said that Lee instructed his aides to refrain from making comments on the book that may arouse controversy.